Love of the Land: A Pennsylvania potato farmer and his Jerusalem ambulance

A Pennsylvania potato farmer and his Jerusalem ambulance

Tali Minsberg
Israel/JPost
13 December 09

After one of the family farms fell victim to eminent domain in January 2006, Naaman King made a pledge.

"You don't haggle with G-d, but I promised if anything good ever happens, I'd do something for Israel," King recalls. Then lo and behold, King came home to a letter saying the government was willing to hold negotiations over the property.

"The next letter I opened was from Magen David Adom," King said. "My wife looked at me and said, 'Well, you know what you promised.' So the next week I went to New York to check out the organization, and then I bought an ambulance."

It was as simple as that, explained Sharon Schmidt, the Greater Philadelphia Area director of American Friends of Magen David Adom.

"We were not only surprised and delighted by the enormity of Naaman King's generosity, but elated to learn of his love for our beloved Israel."

Related story: Mennonite Farmer’s Love for Israel is No Small Potatoes (Excellent)

"Mr. King is delightful to work with," she continued. "He's completely humble and a true gentleman… At the ambulance dedication, which was a Mennonite covered-dish dinner attended by over 100 people from his Pennsylvania community, I thanked Mr. King for his generosity. His response was, 'Don't thank me, it was all G-d's doing.'"

Before King knew it, he and his family were flying to Israel in November 2006 to greet an ambulance with his name on it.

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Love of the Land: A Pennsylvania potato farmer and his Jerusalem ambulance