The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic halted many aspects of normal life, but it did not discourage Israelis from lending a helping hand. On the contrary, many have found new ways to volunteer by visiting patients in coronavirus wards, transporting senior citizens to vaccination sites, and babysitting for healthcare workers.
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"I come to volunteer at the coronavirus ward of the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa every Tuesday," Yossi Mozes, a father of five who volunteers on behalf of Ezer Mizion, an organization that among other things assists the elderly, told Israel Hayom.
Mozes and his friends volunteer by talking to the patients and bringing them hot food and beverages.
"Speaking to volunteers is sometimes the only human interaction the patients have. I need to wear full protective gear to be able to speak to them, and some days I walk out of the ward exhausted, but volunteering provides me with a sense of purpose."
Another Ezer Mizion volunteer, Haim Steiman, volunteered by transporting the elderly from their homes to the vaccination sites.
"Our goal is to make sure that no senior citizen is left behind without the possibility to get inoculated. There are elderly out there who do not have the ability to arrive at vaccination sites. Some are destitute, others do not have family members who can help them."
According to Steiman, what keeps him motivated is the feedback he receives from those he helps.
"People tell me that thanks to my efforts, they can see their family members and spend time with them safely. It is a great privilege for us to take part in the national vaccination campaign," he said.
Eighteen-year-old Hili Azulai from Petach Tikva, who herself has recovered from COVID, paid it forward by babysitting for healthcare workers.
"I get up at six in the morning to make sure I have time to get organized. I am always happy to come and see the children, and they are always happy to see me too," she told Israel Hayom.
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