The spirit of Israeli volunteering is known worldwide, and yet the story of Israel Defense Forces officer Mio Fernandez from Jerusalem stands out.
Only several days after being discharged from the military, he traveled to Lviv to help Ukrainian Jews escape the war.
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For the past five years, Fernandez has served in the IDF's Duvdevan counterterrorism unit and planned to go on a long-awaited vacation to Sinai upon being discharged. However, he soon received a phone call that would change his plans completely. Instead of traveling abroad to enjoy Sinai's scenery and coral reefs, he traveled to a country engulfed in conflict.
"I was celebrating the end of my military service with friends, when I received a phone call from the 'One Heart' [Israeli aid] organization, who said they needed my help," Fernandez said. "Without too much thought, I canceled my plans and at 5 in the morning was already on a flight to Ukraine."
"One Heart" (Lev Echad in Hebrew) is a civilian aid organization that operates in times of emergency.
"I am very glad I came to Lviv," Fernandez continued. "It brings an immense sense of fulfillment. Every day we find Jews to help them and rescue them [by aiding them in making their way] to the border. It sounds easy, but it is not. Only thanks to the Israeli flags on our uniforms do people recognize us and turn to us for help."
Having spent only several days in Lviv, Fernandez has already helped many cross the border into Poland and eventually, to Israel.
One time, "I got a phone call from a girl named Yuliya from Israel, who told me that her mother was coming by train to Lviv. We met her, and her phone battery had already run out of power. The team made sure she had accommodation, and she was taken to safety in Poland" and eventually to Israel.
Another time, "an elderly gentleman, in his 70s, approached me saying his daughter was in Israel and asked me if we could help him reach her. He saw [on my uniform] the 'One Heart' emblem and the Israeli flag next to it, and understood that we might be able to help him get to Israel.
"I immediately contacted his daughter, spoke with her, and after figuring out all the details, managed to speedily arrange all the documents for him even though oftentimes it is a complicated process. Within a few minutes, he was in the car with us together with his wife, and we managed to take him to safety in Poland and from there, to Israel."
Fernandez will stay in Lviv for several more days, after which he will return to Israel to see his girlfriend and parents whom he has not seen since being discharged from the IDF. After a short break, he plans to return for another volunteering round in Ukraine.
It is a privilege "to save Jewish lives from war zones thanks to the Israeli flag on my uniform," Fernandez said.
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