On Thanksgiving morning, as part of Beth Aaron’s Project Thanks 2018, about two dozen Beth Aaron children and their parents (or grandparents) came to Fire Department Headquarters on Teaneck Road to express their gratitude to Teaneck’s bravest who were on duty on the holiday. They were accompanied by Rabbi Rothwachs and Project Thanks Chairperson Alden Leifer.
After being greeted warmly by the firefighters on duty, Rabbi Rothwachs proceeded to express thanks for the protection the Teaneck Fire Department provides us, particularly on a day when most Americans are looking forward to enjoying holiday dinner with their families. Rabbi Rothwachs observed that, although Thanksgiving is not a Jewish holiday, as Jewish people we express thanks every day. He said to the firefighters, “We want to thank you today for allowing us to say, ‘thank you for all you do.’ It is our blessing that you should all feel thanked daily for all the work you do to keep Teaneck safe.” Turning to the children present, he added, “When you are safe at home tonight, remember to give thanks to Hashem, our parents, and the wonderful Teaneck Fire Department, for keeping us safe.” The children all nodded their heads in agreement and understanding.
The wide-eyed youngest visitors (and some of the older ones, too!) then had a chance to see all the equipment and uniforms, and learned from the firefighters how all the tools are used. They scampered aboard the trucks and were able to examine the apparatus up close, asking many questions of the firefighters on duty. The highlight was when the firefighters demonstrated the use of the pole for rapidly descending from their living quarters to the fire trucks. Also, for the second year in a row during a Beth Aaron firehouse tour the firefighters – with lights blazing and sirens blaring – had to respond to a real fire!
This was the sixth annual Project Thanks. Spearheaded by Alden Leifer, who coordinated the visit with Acting Fire Chief Jordan Zaretsky. Project Thanks raises funds to show appreciation and express hakarat hatov to all firefighters on duty on Thanksgiving Day by providing them with a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner with “all the trimmings.” A score of sumptuous meals, catered by Ma’adan, were provided for the crews of all the fire stations around Teaneck, with surplus funds allocated to enhance the safety and security of our shul.
Congregation Beth Aaron is located at 950 Queen Anne Road in Teaneck.
By George Friedman
