On Saturday night, A special Bar Mitzvah celebration was held at the Ya’arim Hotel in Ma’aleh HaHamisha, which has been designated as a “Corona Hotel” housing people who have been diagnosed as being ill with the virus. One of the recent occupants of the hotel is a 13-year-old boy named Yosef Chaim Biton and his family. The Biton family hails from Ashdod, but when they were diagnosed with Covid-19 Coronavirus, they were transferred to the Ya’arim hotel.

Due to the requirement for the family to stay in isolation inside the hotel until they recovered, they were prevented from celebrating Yosef Chaim’s Bar Mitzvah in the normal way. Instead, the family was treated to a special Bar Mitzvah celebration that Yosef Chaim will never forget.

Knowing that Yosef Chaim really loves United Hatzalah, his family called the Mevaseret chapter of the organization and asked if they could send a few volunteers to come and make their son happy. The team got right to work in an effort to make the celebration unforgettable. A short time later, a United Hatzalah ambulance, followed by a parade of ambucycles, drove up to the hotel. They called Yosef to come to the window of the lobby to receive a special blessing from the volunteers for his special day. In addition, the volunteers prepared a special cake for the Bar Mitzvah boy which they presented to the staff of the hotel who then brought it to Yosef Chaim. The entire event was done free of charge.

In addition to the United Hatzalah vehicles, a fire department command truck driver by Reshef Shlmi Sa’adon, who joined the mission to help bring a smile to the bar mitzvah boy’s face.

Deputy Head of the Mevaseret Chapter, Maor Nachum spoke about the efforts of the volunteers in organizing the event. “I was very moved to receive this unusual request from the family. Our volunteers, together with those from the local Fire Department, joined forces and took it upon themselves to do what they could to make this a memorable party. We arrived at the hotel with the sole purpose of making a young man and his family happy, in spite of their being in a tough situation. I wish them, as well as all others who are suffering from this disease a speed full recovery. May it be God’s will that Yosef Chaim will merit to celebrate another Bar Mitzvah party with his extended family and friends.”
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