When NJ Blood Services let RTMA annual blood drive organizers Mendy Fine, Shaya Fishman and Avi Braun know that they were experiencing a more severe than normal blood shortage, the students wasted no time in answering their call.

“This year, the drive was extra important as NJ Blood Services is experiencing an emergency blood shortage,” said RTMA Director of Student Life Rabbi Yisroel Rich.

Students over the age of sixteen were quick to sign up to donate throughout the day and an array of faculty joined the effort as well. The drive was open to the public and streams of parents, siblings and neighbors came by throughout the day, many of whom donated double the amount of platelets via the innovative ALYX machine.

Rabbi Neuman, principal of RTMA, was one of them. “This is what is means to go ‘Above the Code,’” he said. “I am really proud of my boys.”

All told, the drive netted an impressive 78 blood products from a total of 70 generous donors, up from 57 donors and 56 blood products last year.