On Labor Day afternoon, Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton EMS held an emotional ambulance dedication ceremony in the parking lot of Cong. Beis Shalom in Clifton. The ambulance was primarily dedicated in memory of community member Devorah Stubin, a”h. Devorah, 22, passed away in a single-car accident this past January. Hatzolah coordinated the two-day heart wrenching search, with 500 volunteers working for her recovery.
The devastated Passaic-Clifton Jewish community thought it best to memorialize Devorah’s beautiful neshama through the purchase of a new ambulance for Hatzolah, the selfless organization that led the search around the clock until she was found. To help cover the $150,000 cost, additional dedications for the ambulance were made by the Snitow, Einhorn, Taub and Wurtzel families in memory of their loved ones; by the Gervis family in memory of Naftali, Gilad and Eyal, Hy”d, and in memory of Shlomo Zalman Rindenow z”l of Passaic, who passed away in July while serving in the Israeli army. Over 150 community members stood outside in the blazing sun to show their support for the donor families and for the local Hatzolah.
Martin Lovy, Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton President, emphasized the importance of the hishtadlut(community effort) to enable Hashem to heal everyone (v’rapoh yeirapeh), and discussed the appropriateness of honoring the memories of Devorah Stubin and Shlomo Rindenow, concluding with thanks to the volunteers. Assemblyman and Passaic City Council president Gary Schaer, also an Orthodox Jewish community member, marveled at the growth of the community as evidenced by the need for a third Hatzolah ambulance.
Avraham Stubin spoke on behalf of his family. He said, “It can happen during a burial that a member of the chevra kadisha (burial society) slips and falls into the open grave. He can temporarily feel as if he died and is being buried. So, too, when a parent loses a child, he or she can feel as if they are falling into the grave and have died and are being buried. The call of the grave feels powerful. That is why we have enormous hakarat hatov (gratitude) to this community for lifting us up and restoring us to life through all the support they have given us and the things they have done to memorialize Devorah, such as dedicating this ambulance to her memory.”
Stubin told The Jewish Link how appropriate it was to raise money for a new Hatzolah ambulance since Hatzolah went to unbelievable lengths to find Devorah when she went missing.
Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton has been in its present configuration since 2007. According to Neal Frohlich, Hatzolah’s volunteer administrator, Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton averages almost 700 calls a year and operates with 50 volunteers. Without exception, every position in Hatzolah is filled by a volunteer. Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton raises money through annual memberships and a Yom Kippur appeal in every shul in Passaic and Clifton. Capital projects are paid for through a separate fundraising campaign.
Hatzolah of Passaic-Clifton is governed by its rabbinical board, consisting of three local shul rabbis, Rabbi Menachem Zupnik (Beis Torah U’tefilloh), Rabbi Yonasan Saks (Agudas Yisroel) and Rabbi Aaron Cohen (Tifereth Israel). The Rabbanim appoint the board of directors, who answer directly to them. They also answer the relevant halachic questions. Every speaker at the ambulance dedication expressed the hope that there should be no need for the new ambulance. However, if anybody in the community needs it, it will be there for them.
By Shmuel Landesman
