Saying Yes To Hatzalah

By: Larry Gordon

Hatzalah members receiving ongoing training

Binyamin Korn Photography

Hatzalah members use the latest technology to save lives

In all likelihood, you will agree that on the list of our vital community philanthropic priorities in the Five Towns and surrounding areas, Hatzalah of the Rockaways and Nassau County would stand at the top. And I would agree that it’s important we all make it a top priority for our charitable giving.

Whether or not you or someone in your family has needed Hatzalah in the past, you know that keeping Hatzalah well-funded is vital. And that is why it is incumbent on all of us to be present at their annual fundraising dinner at the Sands on Sunday, May 3.

When you take a step back and try to take the long view of the state of health care in the United States and in particular here in New York, you have to stop and wonder where we would be without the service that Hatzalah provides to our communities.

Today, no matter where you travel, you will see a branch of Hatzalah just about everywhere, especially in the densely populated Orthodox Jewish communities in the U.S. and around the world.

There is Hatzalah on the West Side of Manhattan as well as on the Lower East Side, Riverdale, Bergen County, Miami Beach, Los Angeles, and more.

So, where would we be without Hatzalah to answer our calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? We should all stop for a minute and think. To that end, I sat down with Joey Kanner, one of the coordinators from the Five Towns and Far Rockaway, on Sunday to have a wide-ranging discussion about our local Hatzalah organization.

I asked Joey Kanner, who is an attorney with a local practice in the Five Towns, about Hatzalah’s response time to a call to their emergency number and he thought about it for a few seconds before saying that a typical response time for a true emergency is between 90 seconds and two minutes. I have to tell you that I thought he might say five to seven minutes, but when I heard that they respond often within a minute and a half, it was just chilling to hear.

This is what I thought: “Wow!”

There are many different angles to the dynamics that make it possible for a voluntary emergency medical team to respond in such a stellar fashion. And it’s important to note that this is the way Hatzalah of the Rockaways and Nassau County operates. Today, there are 180 volunteers spread out throughout the entire neighborhood. If you, like me, have never been a Hatzalah member, then you might be wondering how they really do what they do and get the job done.

It’s something fascinating to observe any day of the week, but particularly on Shabbos, when the volunteers are in shul like everyone else, but then suddenly the communications device they wear on their belts emits a squeaking or dinging sound. The volunteer stops mid-prayer to listen attentively and consider whether it’s a call that he can serve best.

This is something that happens not only on Shabbos when you’re in shul, but also at 3 a.m. after an exhausting day at work, or on a day when you may have watched your kids play Little League baseball.

The interesting thing about this scenario is the reaction time to the calls. As far as every Hatzalah member is concerned, they are always on call. Whether at 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m., members do not hesitate to answer a call. That means getting dressed, jumping into their car, and heading to the emergency. Every call requires on average three to five members.

As this community grows and expands, so does the need for Hatzalah to grow along with it to meet growing demand. And that is an important focus of this weekend’s event as well—growth and expansion. That’s why you can see a large rendition of the new Hatzalah Headquarters in Woodmere—at the center of the community—on our front page this week.

The new building, which is an expansion of the current facility, will house additional Hatzalah ambulances at any one time in addition to serving a number of additional functions, including training for new members and advanced training for current members.

From a personal perspective, I’ve observed over the years how the everyday heroism that comprises what it means to be a Hatzalah member comes with a strong dose of humility, and I tell the Hatzalah leadership all the time how admirable that is.

The people who comprise Hatzalah are dedicated to their lifesaving mission. During my conversation with Joey Kanner, we also talked about the steep competition for charitable dollars, particularly in a community like the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. Of course, everyone needs to make up their own minds about how to prioritize their charitable giving, but you do not have to read this essay to understand how vital your support for Hatzalah is and how greatly they appreciate it.

While sitting with Joey last Sunday, we computed that this Hatzalah group responds to approximately 8,000 calls per year and that is expected to grow. That’s 21 calls per day on average, seven days a week. And that’s with no less than 10 ambulances in service at any time in their local area.

Hatzalah is there to serve us without hesitation or compromise. In fact, they are a team of dedicated volunteers who must quietly feel a sense of satisfaction and pride when they can be there to help another person in need, especially in an emergency.

The unsung heroes of Hatzalah are without a doubt the spouses and children of the volunteers, who encourage the members to respond to each call and pay the price of being left at all times of day and night, without seeing the impact of their assistance and the relief on the faces of the patients and their families. Members get thanked; their wives and children should be appreciated as well!

Let’s make it our business to be there not just for our dedicated Hatzalah member, but for all of us on May 3 at the Sands or make a donation at HatzalahRL.org. 

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.