United Hatzalah is a volunteer-based organization that provides emergency medical response within minutes of any medical emergency, free of charge. United Hatzalah volunteers responded to more than 750,000 calls last year throughout Israel, saving lives every day.

At United Hatzalah Canada, our mission is to raise vital funds and build awareness to support the incredible work of the more than 8,600 volunteer medics who respond to emergencies in less than three minutes anywhere in Israel.

We work passionately to engage communities, share stories of impact and inspire giving through events, educational initiatives and grassroots campaigns. We believe deeply in the Jewish value of Tikun Olam—repairing the world—and see every life saved as a reflection of that sacred responsibility.

By supporting United Hatzalah Canada, you’re accelerating emergency care for everyone in Israel. Together, we are making a real difference—one life at a time.

Our goal is to reach every patient within 90 seconds of a call where time is of the essence to save lives from a heart attack, stroke, anaphylactic shock, choking or bleeding. Actual response times vary depending on location, traffic, density of a volunteer(s) near the patient and the type of emergency.

United Hatzalah volunteers treat and stabilize the patient and then work with the ambulance crew once they arrive (typically within eight to 15 minutes after the initial call for help is made). In remote areas, the wait for an ambulance can be significantly longer.

Volunteer first responders begin treatment to stabilize a patient’s condition. Receiving initial treatment within three minutes of an incident can assure a higher chance of survival in critical situations and speedier recovery for many other injuries and illnesses. For example, brain damage and death can occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest. A victim’s chances of survival are reduced by seven to 10% with every minute that passes without defibrillation and advanced life support intervention.

In many places, Hatzalah or Hatzolah is an alternative EMS service for the Jewish community. There is an informal brotherhood of independent Hatzalah organizations throughout the world, but most of them operate independently of one another with their own medical and executive boards. In Israel, United Hatzalah brought together dozens of separate Hatzalah groups and unified them into one national organization. United Hatzalah is the only Hatzalah in the world to include non-religious, non-Jewish and female responders. Our national scope and comprehensive network of volunteers allows us respond to emergencies within three minutes or less, the fastest response time of any similar organization.

United Hatzalah’s volunteers are EMTs, paramedics or doctors—secular and religious, male and female, Jewish and non-Jewish. All calls are responded to and treated equally regardless of religion, ethnicity and gender. Our volunteers come from all backgrounds and different segments of society. Our network is made up of truck drivers, sanitation workers, taxi drivers, bankers, lawyers, police officers, firefighters, falafel shop owners and even members of the Israeli Knesset. They are teachers, students, parents, children, siblings, neighbours and members of almost every community across Israel.

United Hatzalah volunteers are dispersed throughout Israel and serve in the areas where they work, study and live. As soon as United Hatzalah’s dispatch receives a call, the Logistic System immediately identifies the volunteers closest to the incident and dispatches them to respond. A volunteer could be working in an office building downtown and might receive a call to help a heart attack victim in the very same building. Similarly, a volunteer at home could be dispatched to respond to an emergency down the street, next door or even in the very same apartment complex. The key is in the network: the more volunteers, the faster the response.

All United Hatzalah first responders are trained and certified as EMTs, paramedics or MDs by the existing medical training authorities under the supervision of the Israeli Ministry of Health.

There are many ways to get involved and contribute to our mission of saving lives
in Israel. Organize group fundraisers to raise money for urgently needed
equipment and vehicles. Hold a parlour meeting in your home or community.
Sign up for our bi-weekly email updates. Contact your local UH representative
and learn how to you can represent us in your own community. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Telegram and share our posts to spread awareness about what we do.

Contact us at [email protected] for additional opportunities.

In general, the government does not provide funding to the organization. The bulk of United Hatzalah’s financial support comes in the form of donations from individuals and foundations in Israel and internationally.

United Hatzalah does not charge for its services and does not pay its volunteers. All our equipment is purchased based on donations, and our ambulance services are completely free of charge.

We provide many opportunities to celebrate someone through your donation. Simply click “Make a dedication with my donation.” Visit our website or reach out to us

at [email protected]

Visit our donation page here

United Hatzalah relies on the generosity of individuals, federations, foundations and other charitable organizations around the world. Anyone can donate, and every donation is important, no matter how big or how small. All donations greater than $18 CAD are eligible to receive a Canadian tax receipt.

Yes. Friends of United Hatzalah of Israel and United Hatzalah of Canada are committed to respecting the privacy of our donors. No donor information is shared with, sold to, rented to or exchanged with any third party. We collect and maintain the following types of donor information: name, address, phone number, email address. We use your information to complete transactions and to communicate with you regarding appeals, to update you about how your donations are being used and to share special events that may be of interest to you. We do not retain any credit card numbers, and those given to us can only be used for donation purposes with your permission. We assure you that the identity of all our donors is kept confidential and the use of donor information is limited to internal purposes of Friends of United Hatzalah of Israel.

All funds go directly towards our lifesaving mission, including lifesaving activities and disaster preparedness in Israel.

For Canadian Financial documents click on this link

Yes, for donations made in Canada in Canadian dollars (CAD), you will receive a tax receipt via your email right away.