Posted on 05/11/25
Jerusalem, Israel - May 11, 2025 - With tens of thousands expected to attend annual holiday pilgrimage, MDA and emergency forces will simulate mass-casualty incidents following 2021 disaster.
Meron, Israel – May 11, 2025: In preparation for this week’s large-scale Lag B’Omer pilgrimage in Meron, Magen David Adom (MDA), in coordination with the Israel Police and Fire & Rescue Services, will participate in two large-scale drills simulating mass-casualty incidents at the site in the Upper Galilee. Led by the police, the exercises will take place Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, and will simulate scenarios including terror attacks, rocket fire, crowd stampedes, road closures, and more.
The extensive drills aim to ensure peak preparedness, following the tragic events of 2021, Israel’s deadliest civilian disaster, when 45 worshippers lost their lives and more than 100 were injured in a deadly stampede during the Lag B’Omer pilgrimage.
Dozens of MDA paramedics, physicians, EMTs, and volunteers will take part. The drills will feature intensive care and standard ambulances, mass-casualty response units, motorcycles, a mobile intensive care bus, ATVs, field clinics, a command vehicle, and an MDA helicopter.
During the actual Lag B’Omer events beginning Thursday night, MDA’s Northern District will operate at a heightened state of preparedness. Hundreds of staff and volunteers from affiliated rescue organizations will provide emergency care for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected. MDA will deploy medical teams across the site, including a dedicated treatment tent for women. Teams will remain on-site through Sunday evening.
“As Israel’s national emergency medical service, MDA has secured the Meron pilgrimage for decades,” Said MDA Deputy Director of Operations Gil Moskowitz. “We’ve conducted field visits, planning sessions, and developed a detailed medical response strategy based on past experience. These drills, just days before the event, are critical to ensuring our readiness.”
MDA urges the public to follow police and organizer instructions, avoid overcrowding, and prioritize safety, so that everyone returns home safely.