A Lifeline for Israel: Yad Sarah's Emergency Call Center

When Margalit Wiztum started volunteering at Yad Sarah's Emergency Call Center, she didn't expect to be saving lives. She assumed she would primarily be contacting lonely individuals, fielding inquiries, and alerting emergency services when elderly people need medical assistance.

But one morning, Margalit answered a call from Afula, a city enduring heavy rocket fire. Margalit answered to find a distressed woman on the other end of the line. The woman shared that her husband – who was in the room with her – was traumatized by the explosions and was holding a knife and threatening to take his own life.

Relying on her training, Margalit remained calm and signaled her colleagues to dispatch immediate emergency assistance. She stayed on the phone and comforted the caller, working to de-escalate the situation. Just before authorities arrived, Margalit convinced the man to put down the knife.

Two hours later, she followed up with the couple. The man answered the call and thanked her for saving his life.