By: Bram Bregman

             On Sunday, March 3, 2002, the situation in Israel changed for me. It was another deadly weekend in Israel; Palestinian terrorists killed 20 Israelis. I woke up Sunday morning and heard the tragic news on TV. An hour later I received a call and the situation changed for me. This time, one of those Israelis was my friend as well as a friend to many other Canadian students. Yochai Porat was the coordinator and course instructor for the Jewish Agency’s Magen David Adom Foreign Students Volunteer Program which allows students to volunteer on ambulances in Israel. Twenty students from Canada participated in this program this past summer and had the pleasure of getting to know Yochai. On reserve duty at a checkpoint near Ofra in the West Bank, Yochai was shot dead by snipers early Sunday morning as he was leaving his bunker to treat the soldiers that had been targeted first. Yochai was 26 years old.     

Yochai was born in Haifa, and moved to Kfar Saba with his family in his early teens. He started with Magen David Adom as a volunteer medic at the age of 15. When he entered the army, he trained as a medic and later served in Lebanon tending to and treating the wounded. Following his army duty, he began university and continued to volunteer as a medic for Magen David Adom in Kfar Saba. He soon became an ambulance driver, and then an instructor. In 1998, Yochai began to teach the volunteer medic course to high school students. In 2001, Yochai was hired by the Jewish Agency to teach and coordinate the volunteer medic course to foreign student volunteers.  At this time, I met Yochai along with other students from Canada, the US, England, and Australia.

As a teacher, Yochai not only shared his vast experiences and mass amount of knowledge with us about emergency medical response, but he also taught us how to act and react on ambulances. He taught us about always being calm, admitting if something was too much for us to handle, and most importantly, equality of care amongst patients. He taught us that even in the event of a bombing, the bomber has to be treated – there is no discrimination when it comes to medical attention. He was there for our every need, answering questions whenever we had them and staying up as late as needed if anyone required further explanation of something that had been taught that day.

As a coordinator, Yochai was always available. His cell phone was on 24/7, and we knew that we could call him and count on him at anytime if we ever needed anything. Yochai was also dedicated to the expansion of the program. Yochai was the first to promote the program to Jewish students around the world. Before this past summer, it was mainly geared towards Canadian students. In the last few months, Yochai traveled around the US speaking to groups of students about the program. His dedication to the program was so strong that he was willing to pay for his ticket to be rerouted to Toronto to further promote the program there. He also promoted the program to Australian, British, and South American students. Yochai believed the program was a great way for Jewish students to experience Israel and to consider making Aliyah. Yochai was a strong believer in the State of Israel and tried to share the Zionist dream with Jews from the Diaspora.

Yochai spent his whole life saving the lives of others. This is what he stood for, what he breathed, what he did every minute of every day. He even brought his ambulance to work and to his home in case there was an emergency. Even in his busiest times, he found time to do ambulance shifts to help save people. He was part of the medic team that responded to the Versailles wedding hall disaster and the Dolphinarium Discotheque bombing. Yochai’s very existence was Magen David Adom and saving fellow human lives. This is what he lived and died for. 

To those that knew him, we will not soon forget his contagious crazy laugh, his optimism, and his enthusiasm. His laugh is forever etched in my mind. His undying dedication to helping others will always be remembered. All the lives he saved, all the people he educated, and all the lives he touched will never forget Yochai. The last time I saw him was in Israel at the beginning of January when we went with another Canadian volunteer to speak about the program to a group of Birthright students from South America. When he dropped me off at my sister’s apartment following the program, I told him, “I lost my Magen David Adom pin and I was wondering if maybe you could send me another one.” He took the pin from his collar and gave it to me saying, “It’s yours. I can get lots more.” Yochai’s generosity went so far that he never hesitated to help others. I will always cherish this pin, as it will serve as a reminder of Yochai’s giving nature. Yochai never stopped giving and this will continue to inspire all that knew him for many years to come.

As a Jew living in Canada, while I mourn the lives of those Israelis who have been lost over the last year and a half, they always seemed rather far away from me. Unfortunately, I have quickly learned that the time comes when you realize that the crisis is closer than it seems. Yochai’s death brought the situation in Israel a little closer to home. I have always read about the scores of Israelis murdered for living their normal lives, but their lives seem so distant.  When I read Yochai’s story on the Jerusalem Post website, I knew it. I knew him. I have many memories with him. He was a part of me who was taken away that weekend. And that’s what made it different.

How can we be silent in times like these? Our brothers and sisters in Israel are being murdered every day. I try to look at each victim as being a Yochai to their own family and group of friends – an exceptional individual who serves as a role model and as an inspiration. Everyday, we are losing Yochais. In fact, we have lost over 400 Yochais in the last 18 months. We are losing good people. At the memorial service held for Yochai in Toronto, the ceremony began with a quote: “The only thing it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” Yochai was one of those good men that fought the evil at many fronts – something that we all need to be doing now. Israel needs us now more than ever and I hope that Yochai’s life and what it stood for will serve as an inspiration to us all to do more in this critical time in Israel’s history. A fund has been established to raise money to donate an ambulance in Yochai’s memory. Donations can be made to the Canadian Friends of Magen David Adom by calling 1-800-731-2848, or by mailing a cheque to 6900 Decarie Blvd., Ste. 218, Montreal, Quebec, H3X 2T8.

Albert Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Yochai, your life personified this. Euripides said, “When good men die, their goodness doesn’t perish.” Yochai, your goodness will always be with us and will always serve as a reminder to me to be giving and relentless in my pursuit of peace, justice, and what’s right. You will always be remembered.

See picture on next page

Yochai Porat, Judy Zlotnick (Montreal), and Bram Bregman (Ottawa) in January 2002 in Israel following a presentation about the Magen David Adom Foreign Students Volunteer Program to South American Birthright students. Yochai, the coordinator and instructor for the program, was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper on March 3, 2002. He was 26.