United Hatzalah is proud to congratulate Dr. Tamar Schlezinger, a dedicated volunteer of the organization’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, who has been chosen to light a torch at Israel’s central Independence Day ceremony next week.
On Oct. 7, United Hatzalah’s Dispatch Center alerted Schlezinger regarding a young boy who had witnessed the murder of his parents and was in urgent need of assistance. Schlezinger immediately reached out and learned that the boy, 9-year-old Michael, was hiding in a closet with his 6-year-old sister Amalia, following the murder of their parents and the kidnapping of their little sister, Avigayil.
For 12 hours that felt like an eternity, Schlezinger provided support to the courageous children on the phone, offering comfort and guidance until the knocks on the door of the soldiers who rescued them.
Eli Beer, president of United Hatzalah, remarked, “This stands as one of the proudest moments for me since the organization’s inception. Dr. Schlezinger epitomizes the extraordinary dedication of our 7,000 volunteers, many of whom risked their lives to save others on that harrowing morning of October 7, amidst the bloodshed in southern Israel and the Gaza border area. They remained committed to their mission until every last wounded individual was transported to the hospital.
“Dr. Schlezinger did the unimaginable with dedication and professionalism over those 12 arduous hours until nine-year-old Michael and his six-year-old sister Amalia were rescued from their hiding place,” Beer said. “In the initial days of the Iron Swords War, United Hatzalah volunteers responded to over 12,500 emergencies and saved thousands of lives.
“I am proud of Dr. Schlezinger and every one of our devoted volunteers, and thank the committee members for their acknowledgment and appreciation of the remarkable, life-saving efforts of United Hatzalah volunteers, both in routine circumstances and amid crisis,” he continued.
Schlezinger volunteers in United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, which addresses the emotional needs of family members, witnesses and bystanders during and after traumatic situations. She resides in Rosh Pina, is married and a mother of four children. In her leisure time, she enjoys shepherding sheep. She holds a Ph.D. in social work, works as a therapist in a private clinic, and is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Tel Hai College. In 2022, Schlezinger participated in United Hatzalah’s mission in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona.
See the investigative report on Channel 12’s “Uvda” program detailing the story of the children and Dr. Schlezinger’s assistance on Oct. 7.
