Chief Executive of Magen David Adom, Daniel Burger, explains the charity’s work and his connections to the organisation.
Magen David Adom (MDA) – which translates to the red Star of David – is Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance, and blood bank service which has been running for over 70 years. MDA UK was established primarily to assist MDA in Israel. However, the UK sector also gives aid to other equivalent organisations around the world, providing urgent medical care to civilians irrespective of their nationality, religion, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.
Chief Executive of MDA UK, Daniel Burger, has been in the role for 13 years:
“I began my career in retail which was the first time in my life that I’d experienced antisemitism. It was clear to me that because I was Jewish, I wasn’t going to progress.
“I then moved my way into the non-profit world. I’d been involved through friends and was on committees but at first, I didn’t want to get into it as a career. I went from Norwood – a children and families service charity – and then moved to Jewish Child’s Day. From there I was asked to come to MDA.
“Coincidentally, I was going to Israel for my cousin’s wedding at the time when I was asked. I didn’t know much about MDA so I thought it’d be a good opportunity to spend some time on the ground with the crews and meet people so I can form a decision of whether it’s for me or not; and it was!”
Daniel’s connection to the charity runs deeper than most: “We were going through our archives in a recent office move and I was looking at some photos from the 1960s. I turned the page and staring at me was a man that looked just like my grandfather! Sure enough, it was a man called Henry Burger who was my great uncle and the picture was of him and his wife who had dedicated an ambulance in memory of their son, Gerald, who was killed in a car accident.”
MDA is a multi-faceted charity, with many different roles: “Firstly, MDA is the national medical emergency service in Israel, the ambulances are the first responders and they’re the government mandated emergency service. There are also its blood services. MDA is responsible for 98% of Israel’s blood supplies and 100% of the IDF’s blood supplies.”
“And thirdly, since 2006, MDA has been a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This is particularly significant because for decades, MDA wanted to be part of the IFRC as it has been on the world stage saving lives for many years. The reason it didn’t join is partly because of itself, it didn’t want to accept the label of the inverted red cross flag, it wanted the red Star of David to be another protected emblem. Chair of the governing body of the Red Cross, Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid, adopted the red Star of David to be a protected emblem that’s recognised under international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.”
MDA’s blood work in Israel has been more important than ever since October 7th 2023: “We’ve just been involved in building a new $120 million underground blood centre, it’s the worlds most protected blood centre and the core of the building can withstand direct hits from ballistic missiles. Ironically, it opened and became fully functioning on 9th October. It’s been about 20 years in conversation and about five years in building. The opening date had been in the diary for two years, and after the massacre there were questions about whether it should still be opened. Professor Shinar, Director of MDA’s Blood Services Division, said that if ever there was a time to move from an above ground, unprotected blood centre, to a below ground, protected centre, it’s now!”
“We’ve lost 36 of our own medics since the conflict began, some of which were brutally murdered on October 7th. That was a very difficult day for MDA, hearing that three of our own had been murdered in their ambulances going to save lives was incredibly tough. What we weren’t prepared for was the outpouring of financial support that we received after October 7th, that’s what’s been so remarkable. It’s testament to the amazing, life-saving work of those in the field. Hearing about the love and support for MDA and Israel really is not something that we take for granted.”
Donating money to MDA isn’t the only way to help the charity: “The types of blood in that part of the world are incredibly rare. Since January last year, Israeli’s are now able to accept British blood under the World Health Organisation, so when people ask how they can help, we always say to give blood.”