Twenty-two haredi women in Jerusalem joined Magen David Adom’s (MDA) volunteer force as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) after completing their professional medic training last week, MDA confirmed.
MDA Director-General Eli Bin praised the cohort’s integration into the national emergency service.
"I congratulate the women who completed the training and joined the ranks of MDA paramedics," Bin said. "This is an important volunteering effort that will enable us to strengthen the rapid and professional medical response to the community in Jerusalem and its surroundings."
Bin added that the organization remained committed to integrating volunteers from all sectors of Israeli society.
"MDA works to train them while preserving their lifestyle and giving them the tools to save lives anytime, anywhere," he said. The initiative was part of a broader effort by MDA to expand its medical coverage in Jerusalem while maintaining cultural sensitivity toward the capital’s residents.
Haredi women’s increased participation in Israeli society
The addition of the 22 haredi women into MDA’s volunteer pool reflected a trend of increasing haredi integration into the Israeli workforce, especially among ultra-orthodox women. According to the Israel Democracy Institute’s (IDI) 2025 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society, the employment rate for haredi women reached 80% in 2024, nearly equaling the 83% employment rate among non-haredi Jewish women.
This shift was accompanied by a significant rise in the number of academic pursuits; the Council for Higher Education reported that haredi students accounted for 5.6% of all degree-seekers in the 2024-2025 academic year, with women accounting for nearly 70% of that total.
MDA reported that its training frameworks were developed to accommodate religious standards while providing technical life-saving skills. This model has enabled the organization to recruit local volunteers to meet response time targets in high-density neighborhoods.
According to MDA, these training efforts have integrated approximately 7,000 volunteer medics and EMTs from various Hatzalah communities into its national emergency response force.