Israeli Paramedics Treat 2,243 People on Yom Kippur

TEL AVIV – More than 2,240 Israelis were treated by paramedics from Magen David Adom over Yom Kippur, the emergency medical service said.

MDA treated 228 children and adults who were injured while riding bicycles. On Yom Kippur, secular Israelis head to the deserted streets on bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, and hoverboards.

Timelapse of Tel Aviv Ayalon highway over Yom Kippur. 

Although it isn’t enshrined into law, Israelis generally do not drive on Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day of the year. However, MDA reported 25 car accidents, likely a result of people not expecting there to be vehicles on the roads.

The overwhelming majority of Israelis fast for 25 hours and religious Israelis are in synagogue for most of the day.

268 people fainted or were dehydrated due to the fast.

MDA deployed hundreds of volunteers in stations across the country in preparation for the fast day, and were called to treat 174 women in labor and helped seven women deliver babies.

For paramedics, Yom Kippur is one of the busiest days of the year with hundreds of extra medics, ambulances, and volunteers deployed across the country.