Yad Sarah's Evacuation Efforts for People with Disabilities

An elderly woman and her daughter from Ra'anana both live with mobility challenges and rely on assistive equipment to maintain their independence. The mother relies on a wheelchair, while the daughter uses a walker.

When Iranian missile strikes targeted central Israel, the mother-daughter duo needed to evacuate Ra'anana and seek shelter in the Dead Sea area. In their urgent search for safety, they turned to Yad Sarah.

Moshe Einav, a Yad Sarah volunteer from the Ra'anana branch, picked up the mother and daughter in one of Yad Sarah's accessible vans. These vans are air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible, making it possible for people with special needs to evacuate from dangerous areas or travel from their homes to medical appointments, school, work and social visits. Trained drivers support the organization in responding to the more than 500 daily requests for transportation.

Halfway through the two-hour drive to the Dead Sea area, the daughter realized she had left her walker at home—an essential item for her daily mobility and comfort. Moshe immediately turned around to retrieve it and then safely transported the family to their destination.

During the Israel-Iran conflict, Yad Sarah reinforced its wheelchair-accessible van service by mobilizing more volunteers and vehicles to ensure that anyone in need had access to timely evacuation and transportation assistance.

In these challenging times, Yad Sarah's volunteer drivers provide more than just safe and accessible transportation, they assist with evacuations, deliver medical equipment, and replenish critical supplies across Israel.