Magen David Adom sets up panel to dictate religious guidelines for volunteers

I don't know where to start venting my outrage here: 1) with the fact that Magen David Adom -- Israel's national emergency medical service -- has for the first time established a committee to dictate Jewish religious and gender guidelines for its volunteers -- volunteers who come from every sector of society and serve every sector of society or 2) with the fact that Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu has been appointed to head the committee -- the same Eliyahu that shocked our conscience a couple of years ago by issuing a 'halachic ruling' banning Jews from selling or renting apartments to Arabs. It seems to me that MDA has some questions to answer.

Unless I am mistaken, Israel is the Jewish State. Unless i am mistaken the religion of the Jewish people is Judisim. Unless I am mistaken the Halacha are guidelines for the jewsih people in all areas of conduct. So what? now you have a problem that an institute of the Jewish State should conduct itself according to Jewish guidelines. How cluless can you people get!

It seems that for our Hassidic brethren Piku'ah Nefish is secondary to some ultra extreme dictates by their "rebbes"

bombings.These volunteers deserve nothing but great respect,so thread carefully,Lefties ,it's you who have enabled the bombers

We cry, moan and groan about the Haredi from afar. Its our fault letting them get the control they have. We have to say no. we have to protest them, we have to use our votes, dollars. Its our fault for allowing this to grow like the cancer it is.

no difference... just that Israel seems to be a democratic country... but is no more

I wonder for how Long those Yeshiva Boys -Plus all the Ultra orthodox keep on milking our economy -there are the burden on our social Justice -that"s why the out cry on our street -we can not afford to subsidizing any more -this was dragging for a long time -time is due -we all equal -we must stop funding them -no more extra discount ,or benefits to all of them, they are the burden on us --all so to there big families (CHILDREN ) 6-8 -burden on us too -because thy are not financially able to support there Children on there OWN -we ,our taxes pay for them --That"s the real problems of those in our social life -there out on on the leash -there are the main problems on us -internal ,external, Obstacle for peace -bringing shame on us all over the globe ,we should stop mixing politic with Religious -Does not work in a Democratic country -Perhaps only in the Muslims worlds -what ever it will take we should proceed with T L -cut there all subsidies -A_Z -and to all of them ,back to work , legislation ,,plus no extra budget for them -we all equal =regarding the law -and the budget -too

At least they don't blame Palestinians for own wrongdoing.You know the stuff like It's easy to make mistakes when you live under threats of annihilation or fear of suicide bombers is the reason why we make mistakes etc.

Five seconds after this story goes viral, donations to the MDA from American supporters will instantly evaporate.

EMT work is hard and hot, and you have to be able to move freely and fast. Let the haredim stop studying Torah for a few months and learn how to save peoples lives if they want their rescuers to wear Fiddler on the Roof costumes. I have had the good fortune to be helped by MDA personnel years ago when I had an accident in Israel: what delightful people! They ought to put haredim rabbis together with other rid cal clerics and like Korach's followers, let them drop into a hole.

Another nail in the coffin of Israel democracy and pluralism! Since a significant part of the volunteers are young women, it just means that the quality of service will decline and it will probably start to cost more. But of course this does not bother the ultra orthodox. They will have their cronies in the Knesset fix it that they will be exempt from payment. When will the man in the street realize that he is being taken for a ride every time and made to pay for nonsense like this only because "we are all Jews"????

saving lives by volunteering for Magen David Adom could lead to severe Halachik infractions?? Oy vey... This is not my kind of Judaism...

and now, more to satiate the ultra 'religious' who would deny a life saving service meant to save, not take, lives by 'religious' dictate that somehow escapes basic humane treatment How many years has the ambulance service been evacuating the injured and, how many years have the 'ultra religious' refrained them or themselves, by not aiding them or being vocal unless to deny the saving of lives by their standards? Perhaps these same folks should learn to respect others lives as much as they do only for their own ?