At a special awards evening that took place in the presence of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism), awards of appreciation and excellence, as well as Magen David Adom Commendation Pins were presented to MDA teams who were present at a terror attack in the City of David in January.
Magen David Adom (MDA) Director General Eli Bin, MDA management, MDA Jerusalem Region management, as well as staff and volunteers from the region presented awards of appreciation and excellence, as well as Magen David Adom Commendation Pins, to MDA teams who were present at a January shooting attack, as well as to MDA volunteers Nadav and Boaz Wineberg.
Nadav is an IDF officer who neutralized the terrorist and who was seriously injured in the attack. His brother Boaz Wineberg, who treated Nadav and their father Barak, saved his life.
On a Saturday morning in January, Barak Wineberg and his son Nadav were injured in a terror attack near the entrance to the City of David National Park in Jerusalem. Nadav, who neutralized the terrorist, was seriously injured, and his father was moderately injured.
Boaz, Nadav's brother and an MDA volunteer, provided his father and brother immediate medical treatment while at the same time reporting to MDA's 101 Emergency Call Center about the incident. Once MDA teams arrived at the scene, Nadav and his father Barak were evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
During the ceremony, Magen David Adom Commendation Pins were presented to Boaz and Noam for their actions during the terror attack, under life-threatening conditions. In addition, 14 MDA volunteers, including EMTs, paramedics and doctors – Tal Saar, MD; Baruch Wisemon; Elron Zabatani; Moshe Shmueli; Joseph Cassouto; Yehoshua Shitrit; Yehudit Tanami; Ishay Benuri-Silbiger, MD; Yisrael Kama; Eliyau Ben Hamo; Yehuda Zand; Tzvi Abbo; Fadi Dekaidek; and Reuven Zuz, who treated Nadav and his father Barak, also received commendations for their actions during the terror attack.
Barak Wineberg, Boaz and Nadav's father, said: "Until the terror attack, at every Shabbat meal I'd ask myself whether it's worthwhile that my two sons volunteer in MDA, but after I was injured, and so was Nadav, there is no longer a dilemma."
"This volunteering is pure goodness, I have no other words, and we are lucky to be a part of this pure goodness. When the incident occurred, both Nadav and I were injured. We both understood that the other was injured, but I didn’t fully understand how serious Nadav's injury was. When we arrived at the hospital within 18 minutes of the moment that Nadav was injured, I understood that if those 18 minutes would have been longer – I'm not sure we would have been here tonight. This is not something to be taken for granted, the MDA team at the scene – there's nothing like it. That's why I'm here tonight, to strengthen, and ask anyone else who can, to strengthen the MDA teams."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism) added: "The connection between the two brothers, Boaz and Nadav, is the story of the whole of MDA, the national rescue organization. It's built on the basis of volunteers from all communities, from all backgrounds, spread across the country and represents the wonderful togetherness of the Israeli society. What turns MDA into the national organization is your work, in which everyone is involved in great brotherhood and great unity."
"I salute you, in the name of the entire government, the entire Knesset – I salute your activities, thank you in my name, and in the name of the entire nation of Israel. And to you Nadav – you are an Israeli hero. But even in the greatest moments of heroes like you, there are other heroes who are also responsible for these great moments. Boaz Wineberg, your younger brother who was next to you. He underwent an MDA course, right here where we are, and without losing his faculties, with incredible self-control, began providing immediate life-saving treatment. With hindsight, these actions saved your life, and left us with a hero such as you."
MDA Director General Eli Bin added: "Incidents such as these give us great strength to continue what we do and know that we are where we should be. We have incredible staff and volunteers who do holy work. We are here today to celebrate the Wineberg family – dear Barak, Nadav, and Boaz. I'd like to thank Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his great support of MDA as the national rescue organization, and for being here tonight to present these MDA commendation certificates and pins, and of course to our heroes – the MDA volunteers and staff all across the country who save lives every hour of every day."