“Ziv and I met at a MAOZ Network event way back in March, just as the pandemic reached Israel. We were standing in the hallways of the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, chatting with a few other Network members.
We talked about Eilat and the hospital. The others were curious and sympathetic. They asked us what our days were like, what our challenges were. And then they asked me: ‘What are your medical needs in Eilat?’ And more importantly, they asked, ‘How are you coping with them?’
Easy question, easy answer. Rheumatology (the branch of medicine devoted to diseases that affect the joints). And then a Network member I had never met before but who was standing right next to me said: ‘I’m coming over to help. I’m yours.’
That was rheumatologist Dr. Ziv Paz. Ever since that short, off-handed conversation, he has come to Eilat every month. I call it his ‘reserve duty.’ Three days every month, he gives us his heart, soul, and mind. He improves processes, develops them, moves them forward, and finds solutions all so that the people of Eilat can receive better care. That’s something we didn’t have before. And it all began with that conversation, that moment of connection.”