by Keren Setton
JERUSALEM, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Adi Scope Karmon was in the midst of a start-up project when COVID-19 started spreading in Israel.
Knowing doctors in those coronavirus-hit countries have been suffering a difficult time coping with the mass influx of patients, she decided to do something to help.
"I thought about what I could do so that we don't reach the same situation (as in other virus-hit countries)," the 44-year-old start-up entrepreneur told Xinhua. "If you don't take care of the caretakers, who will take care of us during the pandemic?"
In Israel, there are over 11,235 people that have contracted the coronavirus and 111 people have died from it as of Monday afternoon.
Six weeks ago, Karmon took to Facebook and put out a post and started a group called "Adopt A Doctor." Within hours, she had tens of volunteers willing to help doctors in the frontlines at the hospitals.
In a few weeks, the group grew to 10,000 members, with 4,000 volunteers who are helping medical staff and their families. Together with Tal Laufer and Ruth Polacheck, Adi Scope Karmon has created a web of volunteers, hospitals and regional coordinators.
They offer help to medical workers through a website that pairs volunteers with medical personnel that live nearby.
Since most Israelis are stuck at home and under strict limitations, the main thought behind Scope Karmon's idea was to keep things as local as possible.
Now, 1,000 families are receiving support from the organization. The volunteers care for their specific needs, including offering cooked meals for the children alone at home, walking dogs, and babysitting, according to Karmon.
Aviad Shlain, a volunteer in the project, created all the forms and is in charge of the complex logistics involved in the project. He has also created a full-time virtual activity schedule for children, including story-telling, sports, acting classes and beginners' computer programming.
Gal Begagon, a 36-year-old woman from central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion, signed for the volunteer work in the organization after her own work in advertising and marketing has almost completely halted since the virus hit Israel.
"It is a really important and valuable initiative," Begagon told Xinhua. "It gets to real people and really helps them."
Begagon cooks meals for a neighbor who lives across the street and sometimes delivers tools for the neighbor's children. She drops them off at their doors and sends them a text message after the delivery has been made.
Volunteering makes Begagon and others feel better during these challenging times. Several times, the family she has helped has left her a bottle of wine or a cake at her doorstep.
Even though they live less than 100 meters from each other, their paths never crossed and they have only spoken on the phone. Begagon says a special bond has been created among them now.
"It feels great, especially during these times," Begagon told Xinhua.
"An emotional connection is created," Scope Karmon told Xinhua. "The doctors tell us it gives them energy to see this period through and strengthens them."
In addition to the individual volunteers, "Adopt a Doctor" has created a network of volunteer coordinators at 20 hospitals who are in charge of receiving food donations for hospital staff.
Millions of Israeli new shekels (one Israeli new shekel equals about 0.28 U.S. dollars) have been donated for mass meals for medical personnel on duty. Other coordinators deal with finding suitable day care for children aged between zero and three or other larger logistical matters.
Karmon is busy at home with three children of her own and now has a huge project at her hands. She is very grateful to the network of volunteers who are helping her.
"There is no time for self-pity," she told Xinhua. "It is our duty as citizens to give this support."
