Seven Siblings Save Lives as Volunteer Medics in Jerusalem

When most siblings gather, they talk about work or reminisce about childhood. The Farkash family meets at car accidents and medical emergencies.

Seven brothers and sisters volunteer with Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical service, in Jerusalem. Avraham, Rivki, Shlomi, Meir, Leah, David, and Elisha Farkash range in age from 19 to 41, and Leah's husband Elazar volunteers too.

The oldest brothers started first, each dedicating years to emergency response. Then something remarkable happened: the younger siblings joined one by one, without planning it together.

"It turns out we all caught the volunteering bug," said Leah. Each sibling made the choice independently, drawn to the same calling that motivated their older brothers.

David, 25, said the family maintains a private group chat just for the medic siblings. They share difficult cases, ask questions, and offer emotional support after traumatic calls. "It's a kind of support group," he explained.

The siblings credit their parents with raising them in a home built on values of giving and helping others. Avraham, the eldest, said he hopes to continue advising his younger brothers and sisters as they all work to save lives together.

With eight family members on duty across different shifts, they sometimes arrive at the same emergency scene. When they hear a sibling dispatched to a serious incident over the radio, others quickly offer backup.

Shlomi remembered one of his first calls as a newly certified medic 15 years ago. He and Avraham responded together to a serious accident, the most complex case Shlomi had seen. "Avraham was professional, and I learned a lot from him during that case," he said.

Years later, Shlomi passed on that same knowledge when responding to a difficult emergency with their youngest brother Elisha. Now Elisha, after two years of service, can teach others.

Sunny's Take

Leah and Elazar usually take separate shifts while raising their children, but they managed one shift together when a grandmother watched the kids. "God willing, when the children grow up, we'll do many more shifts together," Leah said, "and maybe even with them when they become volunteers."

Elazar said their shared commitment makes balancing family life and emergency work easier. Both understand the importance of responding, even when timing isn't convenient for the family.

For Leah, volunteering alongside her siblings makes the difficult work meaningful. "There is nothing more moving and amazing than saving lives, especially when it happens alongside your brothers and sisters who share the same desire to spread goodness."

The Farkash family proves that the best legacies aren't just passed down but lived out together.