Every day, across Israel, thousands of volunteers from United Hatzalah race against time to save lives. With motorcycles, medical backpacks, and no expectation of pay, these civilian heroes often arrive at the scene of an emergency within just 90 seconds—long before traditional ambulances. But what does this kind of service look like from the inside?
To answer that, we spoke with Dennis Charkov, a well-known Israeli comedian and content creator who recently joined the ranks of United Hatzalah’s responders. His story offers a rare, firsthand look into what it means to wear the orange vest—and how one experience during the 2023 conflict changed his life.
A Turning Point in the South
“I saw with my own eyes how United Hatzalah volunteers saved lives and risked their own,” Dennis Charkov told us, recalling the early days of the October 7th, 2023 conflict, when he traveled south to volunteer.
Nearly a year later, he was contacted by Shmuel Malka, the head of the Bat Yam branch of United Hatzalah, who asked him to help promote a new medic course. Dennis Charkov, deeply moved by what he had witnessed, agreed to do it free of charge.
But something unexpected happened. While filming the promotion, Dennis Charkov joined real-life emergency calls in the field. “I was simply amazed,” he says. “I decided that I wanted to join the course and become part of this incredible family called United Hatzalah.”
From Comedy to Crisis Response
The transition from comedy to emergency response was dramatic. During the recent conflict with Iran, Dennis Charkov found himself responding to critical scenes—most memorably, a rocket impact site in Holon.
“We were the first on scene. The hardest thing was seeing small children covered in dust, confused and terrified,” he said. “That’s something you don’t forget.”
To cope with the psychological weight of the job, Dennis Charkov leans on United Hatzalah’s Hosen Unit, a mental health support team offering proactive care for volunteers and the public alike.
What Makes United Hatzalah Different?
United Hatzalah operates on a simple but powerful principle: every second counts. The organization relies on:
- Over 8,000 volunteers
- 1,000+ ambucycles, cars, boats, and e-bikes
- A dispatch system that gets responders to emergencies in under three minutes
All responders are 100% volunteers, and all services are provided free of charge, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or background. The organization is a model of inclusion, with Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze medics working side by side.
“In some cases, we arrive in under a minute,” Dennis Charkov says. “That changes everything. That minute can mean the difference between life and death.”
The Public’s Reaction—and the Call to Serve
Dennis Charkov’s followers, who knew him for humor and activism, responded with admiration. “I’ve received dozens of messages of support. Even fellow United Hatzalah responders wrote to say they respect my decision to join.”
When asked what he would tell young people considering volunteering, Dennis Charkov’s message is clear:
“The moment you begin studying to become a medic, your entire perspective on life changes. Saving someone’s life—even once—gives your existence a new meaning.”
United Hatzalah by the Numbers
- Founded: 2006
- Volunteers: 8,000+
- Average response time: 90 seconds (urban), under 3 minutes (nationwide)
- Calls per day: ~2,000
- Funded by: Private donations only
- Notable achievement: Reduced cardiac arrest deaths in Israel by over 50%
With over 750,000 emergency responses in 2023 alone, United Hatzalah continues to reshape the landscape of emergency medicine—not through massive budgets or government support, but through the determination of ordinary citizens like Dennis Charkov who step up to do the extraordinary.
Our Interview with Dennis Charkov: Insights from the Front Lines
We at Wil News sat down with Dennis Charkov to hear more about his journey with United Hatzalah, and his answers painted a vivid picture of his life as a volunteer medic.
You’ve recently completed your training as a volunteer medic with United Hatzalah. Can you walk us through what motivated you to join the organization in the first place ?
On October 7, 2023, I went down south to volunteer during the first days of the war and saw with my own eyes how United Hatzalah volunteers saved lives and risked their own.
About a year later, by chance, Shmuel Malka, the head of the United Hatzalah Bat Yam branch, contacted me. He told me that a medic course was opening in Bat Yam and asked me to help promote it and how much it would cost.
I told him that after seeing what United Hatzalah volunteers did in the south, and how deeply it touched my heart, I would promote it completely free of charge, without any payment.
While filming, I joined real emergency events here in Bat Yam for several days, and I was simply amazed. I decided that I also wanted to join the course and become part of this incredible family called United Hatzalah.
During the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, you reportedly participated in multiple emergency scenes. What was the most emotionally challenging moment you encountered in the field, and how did you cope with it personally?
One of the hardest moments I had during the war was at the rocket impact site in Holon. We arrived first—myself and several other United Hatzalah responders—and began helping the wounded and evacuating people from their homes. The hardest thing in those moments is seeing small children covered in dust, not understanding what happened or how they ended up in this situation. It’s definitely not easy.
My personal way of coping with this is to keep helping and giving. When I continue to volunteer and help others, it brings me inner happiness that outweighs the difficult things I witness. In addition, we have a unit in United Hatzalah called “Hosen,” whose purpose is to help both the general public in times of psychological need and us, the responders. They hold regular meetings and proactive calls, providing support for anyone who needs it.
How would you describe the operational speed and coordination of United Hatzalah during real-time emergencies? What do you believe sets this organization apart from others?
What sets United Hatzalah apart, first and foremost, is that every responder you see on the ground is there as a complete volunteer. Everyone. Secondly, our response time to incidents is exceptional. Because we operate on motorcycles, our reaction time is immediate. In some cases, we manage to arrive on scene in under a minute, which is simply amazing.
You’ve built a name as a comedian and content creator, and now you’re also a first responder. How has this shift influenced your personal perspective—and how has your audience reacted ?
The audience has responded warmly and positively, which makes me very happy. My followers support this, and I’ve received dozens of private messages of appreciation and encouragement, including from fellow United Hatzalah responders who respect and value the fact that I joined as a responder myself.
What’s one major misconception the public has about volunteer medics, or about the real-life challenges faced by United Hatzalah teams on the ground?
I think people don’t know enough about United Hatzalah and the many things we do. The biggest challenges we face on the ground are providing quick and effective care and transporting patients to the hospital when needed. But we succeed in meeting these challenges time and again. We were trained to do this in the best possible way—and that’s exactly what we do.
What message would you give to young people considering volunteering with United Hatzalah? And how can others support your efforts and the organization’s broader mission ?
The moment you begin studying to become a medic, your entire perspective on life changes, especially once you start providing life-saving first response. That feeling of coming home knowing you saved someone’s life is divine and priceless. When you successfully perform CPR on someone, you’ve literally saved their life. The first minutes of any emergency are the most critical, and because we responders can arrive within just a few minutes, it changes the entire outcome for the patient.
So my message to young people is this: if you have the strength and time to volunteer for others—do it. It will open an entire new world in your heart that you didn’t know existed. And most importantly? It will give you the feeling that you wake up in the morning and bring good into this world.
For readers who may not be familiar with United Hatzalah, could you tell us more about the organization—its mission, how it operates, and the scale of its impact on the ground?
United Hatzalah is a volunteer-based emergency medical organization whose mission is to save lives anytime, anywhere. The organization operates a vast network of volunteers spread throughout the country, equipped with medical gear and able to respond rapidly to every call, often within minutes, long before ambulances arrive. United Hatzalah’s goal is to reduce response times and provide immediate life-saving care until additional forces arrive. Today, it is one of the largest and most impactful rescue organizations in the world, with thousands of volunteers changing the reality on the ground every day.
Final Words: More Than Just a Volunteer
Though he remains an entertainer and animal rights advocate, Charkov’s heart is now very much in the field. “When I come home after saving someone’s life, it’s a feeling I can’t describe,” he says. “It’s divine. And it’s something anyone can be part of.”
To support United Hatzalah or learn how to become a volunteer, visit www.israelrescue.org
Dennis Charkov Social Media:
Facebook
Instagram
