As a journalist, my inbox is constantly flooded with press releases and pitches from all kinds of organizations—some pushing honest, impactful narratives and some less so. For the past six months, I’ve found myself receiving regular updates from United Hatzalah, an Israeli volunteer emergency medical response organization. Its press releases, filled with updates on rockets, rescues and emergencies in Israel, read like action movie plotlines—except it’s all painfully real.

Initially, I didn’t think much about it in a local context. Then I learned that Becca Near, the daughter of a colleague who previously worked at Jewish Federation of St. Louis, is now at United Hatzalah. Her connection prompted me to pause and dig deeper. What I discovered was an organization as inspiring as it is essential—a group of volunteers dedicated to saving lives in 90 seconds or less.

A global mission with local roots

United Hatzalah, headquartered in Jerusalem, is Israel’s largest all-volunteer emergency medical service organization. The “90 seconds or less” motto isn’t a gimmick—it’s the time it takes for a trained volunteer medic to arrive at the scene of a crisis, whether it’s a car accident, heart attack or a rocket strike. Ambulances in Israel often take 20 minutes or more to respond. United Hatzalah fills that gap, racing to emergencies to stabilize patients until traditional services can take over.

“When Oct. 7 happened, like so many others, I was glued to my phone,” Near said. “I was already working for an Israeli organization and having family and friends deeply affected made it even more personal. About six months later, I saw Instagram stories from Anna Buhkshtaber and Rachel Deutsch—two St. Louisans involved with United Hatzalah—sharing highlights from the United Hatzalah gala in New York. It was striking—one piece that stood out was survivors of the Nova Festival massacre dancing with other Jews and celebrating life. It became my goal to work for them and get more supporters engaged and involved.”

Now, as United Hatzalah’s Central States Development Director, Near connects donors in places like St. Louis to the lifesaving work happening in Israel.

Inspiring stories from St. Louis to Israel

At a recent event co-chaired by Buhkshtaber and Deutsch, nearly 65 young professionals gathered to hear from Gavy Friedson, United Hatzalah’s global ambassador. Friedson shared stories of the organization’s work—stories that stick with you long after you hear them.

One such story involved Friedson himself. He was grocery shopping when he received an emergency alert: a 7-year-old girl was drowning. Dropping everything, he rushed to the scene and arrived in under two minutes, performing life-saving CPR.

“When you save a life in that moment, it stays with you forever,” he said.

Deutsch explained why hosting the event was so meaningful. “After reading the book “90 Seconds“ and attending their gala in New York, I realized just how unique this organization is,” she said. “They are doing incredible work and after Oct. 7, our community here craved a way to feel part of Israel’s recovery. Supporting United Hatzalah makes us feel connected.”

Moving forward

Through a relentless commitment to their mission, United Hatzalah is a lifesaving network that spans borders. And with the help of St. Louis donors and volunteers, their reach grows even further.

As Near put it, “Every time we save a life, we show that community and compassion have no limits.”

For more information, visit IsraelRescue.org or contact Near at [email protected].

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