The Jerusalem Municipality honored the city’s exceptional first responders, emergency personnel, and volunteers at an awards ceremony held at Jerusalem’s City Hall in Safra Square. Mayor Moshe Lion and his wife Stavit presented the honorees with official citations and Jerusalem emblem pins in recognition of their exemplary service in 2024.
The ceremony, attended by deputy mayors, city council members, and organizational leaders, brought together representatives from across Jerusalem’s emergency response community. The ceremony opened with a moment of silence in memory of the fallen and victims of the war and the lighting of the eighth Hanukkah candle.
Among those recognized were six members of United Hatzalah, whose medical response teams serve the city’s diverse population through emergency care and lifesaving interventions.
The honorees included Dr. Shlomo Gensler, an anesthesiologist at Hadassah Hospital; Karen Arieli, EMT and manager of the organization’s IMAH Initiative; Gili Tal, EMT and deputy head of the organization’s Neve Pisga branch; EMT Tareq Jauone; and EMTs Baruch and Leah Kaufman.
At the ceremony, United Hatzalah Founder and President Eli Beer presented Lion with a dedication copy of the bestseller Angels in Orange, which tells the story of United Hatzalah volunteers bravery on October 7.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said: “This year’s ceremony takes on a special and profound dimension, filled with mixed emotions. We move from grief, pain and sorrow to joy and happiness, though not completely. A part of our hearts remains with the hostages and their families, and we pray daily for their swift return home. Our hearts are also with all the wounded, the bereaved families, and our IDF soldiers who continue risking their lives to protect residents across our country – in cities, kibbutzim, villages, and mountains. During Hanukkah, we reflect on the stories of the Maccabees who, though few in number, prevailed over the Greeks. I stand here moved and filled with pride in you, the Maccabees of our time. The capital of Israel wishes to thank you today for your work, your courage, your readiness to act, and your swift response in treating the wounded, extinguishing fires, and rescuing those in danger. Together with all Jerusalem residents and the entire country, we salute you.”
United Hatzalah President and Founder Eli Beer said: “Today we presented excellence awards to six Jerusalem volunteers who exemplify the remarkable diversity of United Hatzalah volunteers across the country. Our Jerusalem volunteers respond to tens of thousands of emergencies annually, handling both the most challenging life-saving situations and the joy of bringing new life into the world. This excellence award belongs to each of you for your dedicated service throughout the year. Thanks to your efforts, Jerusalem’s residents can feel more secure knowing United Hatzalah volunteers are ready to respond. I want to express my gratitude to Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion for his dedication to the city’s residents, and particularly for his unwavering support of United Hatzalah. We are fortunate to have such open communication with the mayor on all matters that can benefit both our volunteers and the city’s residents.”
