500 Jewish students from all over the United States participated on Friday in an event called the “Race of Life”, a five-kilometer race in the Valley of the Cross in Jerusalem.

Held for the second year in a row, the “Race of Life” is dedicated to the Ichud Hatzalah rescue organization, which works 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. The organization’s 1,700 volunteers work nationwide to save lives. The organization’s advantage is the availability of its volunteers and the speed of their responses to emergencies.

Some of the organization´s volunteers are driven by some 180 motorcycles that are deployed throughout the organization´s branches across the country. Their quick response time and their movement on Israel´s roads allow them to reach any point within 2-4 minutes and work until the arrival of an ambulance.

The President of Ichud Hatzalah, Eli Bir, told Arutz Sheva, “Beyond the importance of the race and identifying with the organization, this is an opportunity for future Jewish leadership worldwide to be involved in philanthropy to save thousands of lives in Israel, especially these days when we celebrate 64 years of statehood. The connection to Jewish communities around the world has always been an important element in the development of Israel.”

U.S. student Michael Goleman completed the race first and received the Gold Medal. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 04/27/12)