United Hatzalah volunteers renovate family's house after emergency birth

Volunteers for the United Hatzalah medical service organization have raised money and also renovated a house in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem of a family for whom they helped deliver an emergency birth two weeks ago.

Thanks to the help of the volunteers, the woman gave birth to her sixteenth child. One volunteer, Avi, was a first responder to the emergency birth. He realized that the house of the pregnant woman was "in terrible condition. As United Hatzalah volunteers, we respond to emergencies in all different places and see quite a few houses that aren’t the cleanest or the nicest. 

"However, after seeing this home we were shocked that anyone could live here. Not only was it extremely dirty, but it was also falling apart. It wasn’t fit for anyone to live in, especially not a family with many children."

It was then that Avi and other volunteers made a joint effort to help the family in need to renovate their house while also receiving donations from others who wish to help.

Other issues with the house the volunteers reported included no windows, no bathroom lights or a door as well as broken beds.

Before and after of the inside of the apartment, including food and linens purchased by the volunteers from the donation money. (credit: UNITED HATZALAH‏)

United Hatzalah rented an apartment for the family while their house was being renovated.

The family's house was eventually fixed after a couple of days, with the issues in their bathroom and kitchen also being fixed. The family was gifted with new furniture, food and windows. The volunteers even made the home ready for Shabbat.

“This project is not finished and will remain an ongoing one,"Avi said. "The group of United Hatzalah volunteers who were involved in the initial response and then the renovations have taken it upon themselves to visit the family on a weekly basis to make sure that all their needs are being taken care of."

“The volunteer did such an amazing thing caring for this family the way they did," United Hatzalah founder and president Eli Beer said. "To those who participated all I can say is thank you."