Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Inspired by the lifesaving work of Magen David Adom, Avi the Ambulance brings young readers along on exciting adventures in emergency training and rescue. This picture-book series also helps young children discover the Jewish value of helping others.

A new, multi-part illustrated book series introducing young readers to the mitzvot of helping others and saving lives has rolled out in time for the holidays. Developed through a new partnership between American Friends of Magen David (AFMDA) and Apples & Honey Press, Avi the Ambulance follows the adventures of an eager young ambulance who dreams of rescuing people. The stories give children a taste of Israel as they learn about the important work of the nation's first responders.

The series launched this fall with "Avi the Ambulance Goes to School." Avi is the youngest and smallest in a family of Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency vehicles living in a garage in Jerusalem. He longs to be like his big sister and brother, emergency vehicles with exciting jobs, rushing to help people who are sick or injured. Like real-life MDA paramedics, who require intensive training before they can work on ambulances, Avi has to go to school to learn special skills he'll need in emergencies. Children are invited along for the ride as he learns to zig and zag, zoom and stop, and drive safely and gently. He works hard, and before long he is zooming off to help a little girl who was injured after she fell off her bike.

"Avi the Ambulance shows how Jewish values are observed, learned, and applied," says writer-illustrator Claudia Carlson. "Children can discover concepts such as Piku'ach Nefesh, the importance of saving lives; Z'rizut, contributing to society enthusiastically and swiftly; and Hakarat Hatov, expressing appreciation to others for their help."

The book is available through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and at many Judaica book fairs and stores. It will be followed by "Avi to the Rescue," scheduled for publication in fall 2016. Plans for the third book are underway.