Emergency Service 910 for Jews created in Ukraine
The United Jewish Community of Ukraine created ‘Service 910’ intended to provide immediate assistance to Jews in Ukraine cases of emergencies that will operate nationwide around the clock 24/7 all year.
The rescue service should be immediately contacted the following cases:
- Threats to life;
- Threats to health;
- Threats to honor and dignity (anti-Semitism).
For all mobile networks the calls to number 910 are free.
It is recommended contact the Service 910 operator from a landline phone by calling 0800600910, which is free for fixed-line subscribers, for the mobile calls the cost will be determined by the mobile operator.
“This unified rescue service for Jews is our unique project,” said Mykhailo Tkach, Director of the United Jewish Communities of Ukraine. “We have created a special contact center, to which every Jew can apply in the event of emergency situations that, God forbid, might happen to him or his family. Today the project of the rescue service is in the stage of formation. We improve the technical aspects of carrying on negotiations with various organizations and bodies in the region: law enforcement agencies, medical and social services. Service 910 is already operating, and in the near future it will work a hundred percent, so that we can fully and quickly provide emergency assistance to those in trouble, regardless of the location of our clients.”
The contact center operates as follows:
- In case of danger call the short number 910 or landline 0800600910.
- The information is processed by the operator by category (person who asked should briefly describe the situation and provide information).
- Then the contact center operator will provide immediate assistance (emergency services) or issue a query on the question of client’s interest and refer it to the competent authorities and local communities.
- All requests are taken on a special control of the United Jewish Communities of Ukraine, and the reaction to them by the officials and NGOs is recorded in a mandatory way.
The overall coordination of “Service 910” and solving the issues is carried out in conjunction with law enforcement and security agencies, state and local authorities.
According to the website of Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community, “Service 910” is working around the clock, including Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
As you know, according to Jewish law, it is forbidden to use telephone and any other electronic means of communication on the Sabbath, but the Saturday prohibition can and should be neglected if there is a threat to life, ‘sakanat nefashot’.
The work of ‘Service 910’ is in compliance with the mitzvah “pikkuah Nefesh” (saving lives, care for the preservation of life), which is based on the words of the Torah: “Do not stay idle [be inactive] seeing your neighbor’s blood” (Lev. 19:16) and formulated in Talmud (Sanha 73a and Yoma 85a), which states that it is important for the performance of many regulations and laws, including prohibitions of the Sabbath and holidays, “peak dohe em Nefesh ha-Shabbat” – “saving lives dismisses the Sabbath”. On this basis, ambulance ‘Magen Adom’ and other emergency services works in Israel, on these grounds the military servicemen and workers of rear performed their military duty in the “Yom Kippur War” that Arab states have deliberately decided to start on the holiest day of the year – Yom Kippur.
