According to statistics published recently by Magen David Adom (MDA), yeshiva students in both the national religious and hareidi-religious communities are the most frequent blood donors among Israel’s civilian population. While donations are down among the overall civilian population, donations in the religious community and particularly among yeshiva students remain high, MDA officials said.
MDA officials attributed the frequent donations in the religious community to the fact that Judaism places a high value on life. Donations from IDF soldiers, who are encouraged to give blood and do so during frequent organized blood drives, were more frequent than those within the civilian population.