Jerusalem - Dvir Adani is a free-spirited man living in the heart of Tel Aviv and volunteering with United Hatzalah. Prior to the Corona outbreak, Dvir hosted parties for the public in Tel Aviv, but amidst the corona restrictions, Dvir has been a full-time committed EMT. The 30-year-old EMT joined United Hatzalah in his late teens, making this his 12th year of service. During the Coronavirus pandemic, Dvir volunteers as an ambulance driver, and spends his time driving corona patients to and from Coronavirus hotels all over Israel, often making multiple trips per day. Thus far, he has driven a total of over 100 patients to and from the hotels and hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic. 

With his vibrant purple hair and many ear piercings, one would not be able to tell that Dvir grew up in an ultra-orthodox home in Jerusalem, but that is indeed how he grew up. Dvir got married and had two children before deciding that his life was heading on a different path. Still today, Dvir bares no ill-feelings toward the community that he left behind. On the contrary, he is actually very fond of it.

Being a part of many communities with a variety of religious levels gave Dvir a unique talent, the talent to connect with anyone, coming from any background. Dvir is a ‘people person’ and is able to identify with so many different people naturally. Dvir uses this skill when driving his ambulance during shifts to make his patients feel more comfortable. 

A few weeks ago, Dvir was driving an entire family from a distant city to the corona hotel in Bnei Brak. Unfortunately, something happened with the reservation, and the family was forced to return home. The little children were very disappointed, returning to the ambulance, knowing that they were headed home. Dvir knew he had to do something to lift their spirits, so on the way back, he stopped at a gas station and bought the kids candies and chocolates which immediately put smiles on their faces. The parents urged Dvir to pay him back for his kind gesture, but Dvir explained that they are the ones giving him a sense of fulfillment, that he wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.

“I love all people, no matter what race, ethnicity, or religion,” Dvir said. “When I first moved to Tel Aviv, I knew no one. Today, I’m walking down the street and I know everyone that I pass and I greet them all warmly. These skills help me with my party business in Tel Aviv and are a great benefit in my volunteering duties in United Hatzalah as well. United Hatzalah is made up of so many different types of people, coming from all kinds of religions and backgrounds, and I am able to connect with them all. The same holds true for our patients. Being able to connect with others easily is so important for the kind of work I do in the medical field because when someone feels comfortable and familiar with the person aiding them, they are more open to receiving help in the first place. The treatment goes better and the person feels better. But, in the end, I am the one that gains from it.”

“Just yesterday, I was transporting a young Ultra-Orthodox man to a Corona hotel,” Dvir added. “When he saw my colorful hair and overall demeanor, he grew shy and distant. Then I began to discuss Gemara with him. That was my education growing up and I am very fond of it, and he immediately loosened up. By the end of the drive, we parted ways as friends. On a different drive, I ended up singing Chassidic music while the man in the back played his recorder to the tune of the song. These people are in a troublesome spot right now and the least I can do is help them and try to make them feel good while transporting them where they need to go.”

Dvir’s philosophy on life can seem euphoric, and unrealistic to most, but Dvir lives his life this way and his message to us is “don’t judge anyone by the way they look or what religion they follow. Try to connect with who they are as a person and you’ll receive so much back from them that it will be well worth the effort. After all, we are all the same at heart.”