During a first aid training for tenth graders at a high school in Jaffa, a medical emergency occurred, when a teacher entered the classroom choking on some food she ate.
Batya Tugendhaft, a new olah from London, and an EMT and trainer in Magen David Adom’s National Service, acted quickly, identified the critical situation, and performed the Heimlich manoeuvre. Thanks to Batya’s quick and professional reaction, the food was dislodged from the teacher’s throat, and her life was saved.
After the event, Batya said, “The moment I saw the teacher struggling to breathe, I immediately followed the protocol I had learned at MDA. I’m glad I was there to help and prevent a disaster.”
Magen David Adom praised Batya’s resourcefulness and emphasised the importance of first aid training for the general public.
Zaki Heller
MDA in Israel Spokesman
“We feel very privileged that our daughter is spending her time volunteering for MDA, saving lives in Eretz Yisrael. We thank Hashem that she was in the right place at the right time and by having the fantastic training by MDA she had such presence of mind at this crucial time.” He also mentioned that before Batya performed the Heimlich manoeuvre, she asked the children to leave the room so they would not need to see anything else.”
“Volunteering is the bedrock of Magen David Adom’s life-saving work in Israel, with over 90% of the organisation being volunteers. We are so proud of the British community – whether they be gap year students, summer interns or Olim – who give their time to support Israeli society with MDA. In these difficult times, examples such as Batya’s heroic efforts demonstrate how MDA is the very best of Israel.”
