About Yardena Levanon

Yardena lives in Rehovot with her husband Yair and works as a bookkeeper. When there was a request for more United Hatzalah volunteers in her area, Yardena decided that she should do her part and contribute to her community.She took the course and joined United Hatzalah almost two years ago.Yardena never realized that it would affect her life in such a significant way. Being a United Hatzalah volunteer has become her greatest source of fulfillment and joy. She now also volunteers with United Hatzalah’s Ten Kavod project and in emergency clinics.

Yardena was recently alerted that a woman was in labor. She found an agitated couple from Africa who did not speak any Hebrew. The wife was experiencing extremely strong contractions. An ambulance arrived with a short-staffed crew of only a driver and a novice medic. Yardena augmented the team and during the ride to the hospital continued reassuring and comforting the panic-stricken woman. The contractions were so strong that Yardena was sure that the woman would give birth in the ambulance! They made it to the hospital but before they got to the delivery rooms the woman began to give birth. Yardena stayed with the terrified woman, guiding her through the birthing process until a healthy baby boy was born!

Even then, since the couple were not Israeli citizens, the hospital was unable to admit them into a room. Yardena stayed with the woman and her tiny newborn as the husband ran around frantically trying to get the papers together for admittance. An hour and a half later, it was finally sorted out and the woman was brought into a hospital room.

Although the two women shared no common language, the intense gratitude in the new mother’s eyes communicated more than words can say. Yardena is proud to have been able to help this woman at such a sensitive and special time.