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Our past, present and purpose
Hatzolah Melbourne is a dedicated team of volunteers committed to safeguarding lives and serving our community with compassion. Offering lifesaving assistance and essential health education, we strive to be a beacon of hope and support – ready to respond when you need us most.
A rich, global heritage of 50+ years
The word ‘Hatzolah’ is derived from the Hebrew word ‘lehatsil’ – meaning ‘to save’.
The first Hatzolah group was founded in 1973 in New York, when a group of Orthodox Jews trained in First Aid and CPR to form a first response agency to assist their local community.
Since then, Hatzolah groups have emerged worldwide, from the UK, Canada and Israel to Mexico, South Africa and Australia.
Hatzolah comes to Melbourne
Hatzolah Melbourne was established in 1994.
At that time, our goal was to offer medical support to an ageing generation of Holocaust survivors – many of whom were too afraid to call traditional uniformed emergency services.
The initiative was designed to accommodate the Jewish community’s unique cultural, religious and emotional needs, offering specialised and accessible care to those who didn’t have a good grasp of the English language.
The vital work of Hatzolah Melbourne today
Today, Hatzolah Melbourne works closely with Ambulance Victoria to provide the best possible emergency medical aid to any person from any background.
On top of this, we seek to educate the wider community. We do this through public First Aid and CPR training, plus health and safety presentations to schools, community groups and workplaces.
We do not charge patients for our services and are primarily community-funded, with the help of government and organisational grants.
Want to get involved?
Whether you’re interested in volunteering, donating or something else, we’re always interested in hearing from our community
