JERUSALEM (JTA) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg dedicated the landmark Magen David Adom station in Jerusalem in memory of his father.
Bloomberg affixed a mezuzah to the doorpost of the William H. Bloomberg MDA Jerusalem Station on Sunday with the help of Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar. The mayor donated the lead gift for the station.
“My family was attracted to Magen David Adom because of its spirit of volunteerism and its unwavering commitment to treat all people equally regardless of race or religion,” Bloomberg said at the dedication ceremony. “Today is a great day for Magen David Adom, its supporters, my family and the people of Jerusalem.”
A new five-story wing was added to the original building, which dates from 1963 and was upgraded and renovated. Staff rooms, lounges and offices also were renovated.
The building houses a new blood donation center, a pre-hospital training center, a visitors’ center, a conference center and a new Jerusalem dispatch center.
Marc Lebow, the national chair of American Friends of Magen David Adom, said in lauding Bloomberg, ."While your leadership in the business and civic realms are well known, today’s dedication is proof that your legacy of giving and helping others, which was imparted to you by your father, extends far beyond New York and into the hearts of each and every person in Israel who will benefit from the services of Magen David Adom and this station."
More than 1.2 million people live in the region covered by the new MDA Jerusalem Station, in addition to the daily influx of government and other workers, tourists and students. Some 1,000 MDA staff and volunteers serve Jerusalem and its surroundings.
