Grieving Father Delivers Baby in Ambulance Donated in Son's Memory

Senior paramedic Zvi Reider delivered a baby in an ambulance donated in memory of his son, Dor, who was murdered on October 7 in Kibbutz Be'eri. Reider, who has served as a paramedic for years, was on duty during the Hamas attack, treating and evacuating the wounded under fire. During one evacuation, he discovered his son Dor, who had moved to Be'eri to mentor a child with special needs, was missing. Later, he learned that Dor and his girlfriend, Tchelet Fishbein, were killed in Be'eri. Dor was 21.

Reider described the birth as a gift and a "closing of the circle," especially as it occurred shortly before the Simchat Torah holiday, a year after his personal loss. He felt his son Dor's presence during the emergency delivery. "On the way to Be'eri, I felt him, I knew he was with me," Reider recounted.

Two ambulances were recently donated to Kibbutz Sa'ad in Dor's memory. Reider's first call in one of these ambulances was to assist a woman in labor near the entrance to Kibbutz Be'eri. He contacted a neighbor, Hila Barbitz, a professional midwife, and together they transported the expectant mother, Pnina Yiska Biton, and her husband Daniel to the ambulance.

Realizing they wouldn't reach the hospital in time, Reider and Barbitz assisted with the birth inside the ambulance. A healthy baby boy was born, and the mother and child were then taken to the hospital. Reider later shared his story with the new parents, explaining the ambulance's connection to his late son. The parents expressed that their son, named "Mevaser Tov" (Good Tidings), brought good tidings to Reider, symbolizing continuity for the Jewish people.

Reider stated, "This is proof that there is continuity for the people of Israel. I was so happy with the family and moved for them. I am glad I had this amazing privilege."