Donation spearheaded by a group of friends from the Teaneck/Bergenfield community.
(Courtesy of United Hatzalah) A group of Bergenfield residents led by Yitzi and Terri Karasick donated a “Day of Lifesaving” to United Hatzalah in honor of Shira Shatzkes, a beloved mother of five, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and community leader who is in critical condition. The donation, which was organized by Yitzi’s group known as “The Guys Night Out” chose to donate the funds to a lifesaving organization in hopes that it may serve as a refuah for Shira, who together with her family, has played a pivotal role in the Bergen County Jewish community.
Several months ago, United Hatzalah hosted a Guys Night Out event at the home of the Karasick family in Bergenfield. United Hatzalah Founder and President Eli Beer joined the event and inspired the group to come together and raise more than $18,000 to sponsor a project that assists United Hatzalah in covering the costs of operating its network of more than 6,000 EMS volunteers across Israel for an entire day.
The gift from the group was matched by Mark and Linda Karasick. While the gift was made in September, the group waited for an appropriate time and an appropriate person to dedicate the Day of Lifesaving in their honor in order to make it meaningful for the New Jersey community.
Unfortunately, the opportunity came when Shira, a pillar of the community in Bergen County, and a paragon of giving, suddenly took ill and needed a refuah. A representative for the group said: “The Shatzkes family has played a pivotal role in the Bergen County Jewish community, and so this group has dedicated their Day of Lifesaving for the refuah of Shira. Shira Shatzkes is a mother in our community who is very sick; she had an aneurysm and it’s been just awful. Her husband is a doctor and has also helped so many people over the years and especially now in the fight against the coronavirus.
“Shira’s illness is something that has really hit our community very hard and has brought us together in a unique way,” the representative continued. “We all wish for Shira’s speedy recovery. Hopefully this donation of a Day of Lifesaving, and the good deeds done on this day by all of the United Hatzalah volunteers in honor of Shira, will bring about a speedy recovery for her.”
Regional Director of New Jersey for Friends of United Hatzalah Miriam Tennenbaum spoke about the special donation and said: “This gift shows the power of community, the power of coming together to make a difference. This amazing group of guys came together to support United Hatzalah’s lifesaving mission and now, may this incredible act of tzedakah help bring the full refuah of Shira Shatzkes.”
