The legacy of Dr. Michael Ufberg z”l lives on

After decades of devotion and contribution to our community, our beloved Dr. Michael Ufberg z”l passed away on June 12, 2021. Nine months later, more than two dozen members of our community, including Mickey’s wife, Eileen, and their five children, traveled to Israel and donated an ambucycle from the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley to the United Hatzalah emergency medical service organization in memory of Mickey.

Through the use of ambucycles (specially equipped motorcycle-ambulances) and creative technology, United Hatzalah achieves dramatically reduced response times to medical emergencies. The organization founded by Eli Beer is staffed almost exclusively by volunteers.

This is the second ambucycle donated by our Jewish Federation. The first was given in 2017 and is estimated to have saved 1,500 lives during its five years in service.

In a regular series in Hakol, we plan to highlight lives that were saved thanks to the latest ambucycle, donated in Mickey’s memory. The first installment can be found below.

—Friends of Mickey

Yonatan Aouat, the volunteer medic who rides ambucycle No. 1283, dedicated to Dr. Michael Ufberg z”l, was working at his store in Israel one day when his United Hatzalah pager started buzzing.

Shortly before that, a Russian-Israeli man had called his daughter to tell her he was feeling very unwell. A nurse, she was concerned and called for help. Meanwhile, her 60-yearold dad headed outside to get some fresh air. He sat down on the stairs outside and proceeded to slump over, unconscious.

Meanwhile, Aouat had run out to his ambucycle, sped to the nearby location and arrived first on the scene some 30 seconds later. He found passersby attempting to perform chest compressions.

A fellow United Hatzalah medic soon arrived to assist. Confirming that the patient had no pulse, Aouat and his colleague launched into emergency CPR.

Then, connecting the pads from the ambucycle’s defibrillator, Aouat administered a powerful shock. Within minutes, the pair of medics had restored a steady pulse. They provided oxygen until an intensive care crew arrived. The percussionists synced to his lead. man was then evacuated for an emergency procedure.

Three nights later, an audience in Zoellner Arts Center would witness this same group of musicians conclude the first-ever public performance of “Hello Gold Mountain” by a full symphony orchestra.

The man’s daughter reached out to the medics a few days later to express her gratitude after her father had regained full consciousness at the hospital. He was later discharged and then sent home to continue his recovery process with his family.

Ambucycle No. 1283 continues to be a part of saving lives in Israel every day.