Sruly Max
Sruly Max
Sruly Max

By Michele Justic

’Tis the season to light up the night with candles and decorations . . . and also to give some thought about those who protect us when something goes wrong with these lights. Dozens of men and women willingly put themselves in life-threatening situations–day and night-–on a volunteer basis in our community. Meeting these fine individuals in person does little to dispel the notion that these people are almost superhuman.

Yisroel (known as Sruly) Max has been a member of the Woodmere community for over ten years. He and his wife Esther raise a loving family while also developing his telecommunications business. He supports his shuls–financially and with his time–including Chabad of the Five Towns, the White Shul, and the Red Shul, as well as his children’s schools, Yeshiva of South Shore and Shulamith School for Girls, and has driven two Thursday routes for Tomchei Shabbos for many years.

Yet when his pager buzzes, all that goes on hold. “But Daddy, I didn’t finish reading my d’varTorah.” Instead, his family fully supports him as they get a real-life lesson in middos, ahavasYisrael, and the full implications of pikuach nefesh. He runs to the call, ready to don the heavy heat-retaining uniform, grab the heavy equipment, ride the truck at dangerous speeds, and encounter perilous scenes of collapsing buildings, people trapped in smoke-filled rooms–situations more dangerous than they are portrayed in movies. And then, after decompressing, putting equipment away properly, and rehydrating, he returns home to put the children to bed, take care of late night paperwork, etc. His compensation for this great sacrifice? Nothing. But can you put a price on saving a life?

Sruly devotes himself heart and soul, giving presentations at schools, and even making sure his office remains in the neighborhood so he can always answer calls. His sharp business mind, which led him to a growing area of technology and helped him build his business from sole employee to almost 20 employees, has also conceived of ways to improve matters. True to his soft-spoken, humble nature, he doesn’t wish to disclose his vision, hoping to build consensus rather than take charge and steamroll. He attributes this to the way the department operates: agree or disagree, when the alarm rings, each man (and woman) must watch out for his or her buddies.

The community came out to vote on Tuesday, December 8 for Sruly to fill one of the five Fire Commissioner spots. While highly praising current commissioner Erik Kinney, who has held the spot for many years and has tirelessly devoted considerable time for the betterment of the community, Sruly feels it is time for a change. Sruly is always up for a change, taking on optional hazmat and officer training. As an unfortunate sign of the times, the department recently completed training for active shooter response in conjunction with the Nassau County Police Department. Firefighters are among first responders in terror and other mass-casualty settings, may it never happen in our days! More lighthearted improvements to the department include a popular and highly attended Fire Safety Day with rides and important demonstrations and lessons.

Dedicated, knowledgeable volunteers such as Sruly Max and Yehuda Karkowsky (who ran for a separate spot) are grateful to the Woodmere community for turning out for them on the third night of Chanukah, as they have come out for the community on so many Chanukahs, Shabbosos, yamim tovim, and every time in between

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