Media on Hatzolah: ‘When Disaster Strikes, they come to the rescue’

By: Boropark24 Editorial 

Nearly thirty-five years ago, in the summer of 1987, a calamity took place on 18th Avenue in Boro Park. The younger ones among us will not remember it, but anyone who was in the vicinity will never forget it. A propane tank accident resulted in an explosion of massive proportions—killing four people, injuring forty, and leveling four storefronts (the site of which is today Goldberg’s Supermarket). 

Amid the chaos, the New York Daily News recognized the heroism of Chevra Hatzolah, which rushed toward danger, running into the rubble, searching for survivors and evacuating them to local hospitals. On the following day, a major piece of their coverage was focused on the heroism of Hatzolah members. At a time when the organization was in its infancy, they immediately made a name for themselves as they bravely ran to help, no matter the obstacles. 

In the ensuing decades, the methods of lifesaving have modernized and evolved, and the force of volunteers has risen as Hatzolah has expanded its scope exponentially. 

But the deep passion for helping another Yid in crisis—emanating from the deepest place in a Yid’s heart—has remained precisely the same. 

“They answer the call,” the Daily News captioned the picture of R’ Nachman Neiger, longtime Hatzolah veteran running with a stretcher.  “The name in Hebrew means ‘help’ and yesterday members of Hatzolah—a Jewish volunteer ambulance corps—were true to the name when trhee buildings blew up in Brooklyn. 

“More than a dozen Hassidic medics from Hatzoloh already where on the scene of a Borough Park disaster when police and firemen arrived. Alerted by the group’s two-way radio network, most volunteers raced from neighborhood business and homes to 18th Avenue and 50th street... 

“It was like a war zone. I got there and a woman pointed to a pile of concrete and beams and said ‘a man is in there,’ so I started digging,” said Volvie Herman, 25 a Hatzoloh emergency medical technician for six years.” 

Four decades and 600,000 calls later, the hair on those early members has gone largely white, and they have inspired a new generation of volunteers with their heroism and bravery. 

Our Hatzolah members have remained our models in chessed, and during these few days, these selfless men turn to us with one request: To assist them in continuing to sacrifice for our community. 

Boropark24 is proud to join this effort, and we turn to our readers to click on the link to member you may know, or donate to the Boro Park Hatzolah page—enabling their lifesaving work to continue. 

A	B
name	link
B5 Ephraim Birnhack	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b5
B6 Berish Freilich	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b6
B10 Moshe Fischman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b10
B11 Moshe Chaim Mayer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b11
B14 Menashe Schwartz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b14
B15 Yitzchok Seidel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b15
B16 Moishe David	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b16
B17 Shaya Fuchs	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b17
B19 Mendel Markstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b19
B20 Yitzchok Herbst	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b20
B23 Mayer Orgel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b23
B24 Shlomo Adler A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b24
B25 Hirsh Leib Schwartz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b25
B28 Moshe Stern	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b28
B30 Yitzy Stern	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b30
B31 Moshe D. Meisels	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b31
B33 Meir Nissen	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b33
B36 Anshi Lax A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b36
B37 Aron Neugarten	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b37
B40 Sruly Knobloch	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b40
B41 Yankie Meyer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b41
B44 Yoni Mayer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b44
B46 Betzalel Steinberg A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b46
B54 Moshe Chaim Wieder	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b54
B56 Tzaly Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b56
B57 Chaim Fischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b57
B59 Akiva Flaum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b59
B62 Yonason Karman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b62
B65 Ari Goldstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b65
B66 Yossy Link	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b66
B68 Yakov Hersh Lovi	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b68
B69 Shloime Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b69
B73 Benzion Fuhrer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b73
B74 Hershel Rosenbaum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b74
B76 Benny Fogel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b76
B77 Pinny Goldman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b77
B80 Shia Benjamin	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b80
B81 Avigdor Klein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b81
B82 Dovid Fendel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b82
B85 Yehuda Aryeh Link	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b85
B87 Nuchem Sanders	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b87
B88 Yitzchok Lebovitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b88
B89 Shimon Biberfeld	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b89
B92 Moshe Kish	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b92
B95 Meir Fogel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b95
B97 Meilech Wolkenfeld	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b97
B98 Eli Gruen	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b98
B100 Chaim Fleischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b100
B175 Naftali Neuburger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b175
B202 Shmuli Davidovitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b202
B203 Eli Kaff	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b203
B206 Yitzchok Fuchs	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b206
B207 Leon Kryzhanovsky	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b207
B208 Fishel Lipschitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b208
B215 Nachman Feig	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b215
B217 Heshy Singer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b217
B218 Matis Witriol	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b218
B220 Zalmy Halpert	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b220
B222 Yitzchok Perlstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b222
B223 Yosi Nagel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b223
B225 Moshe Dovid Mayer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b225
B226 Shloime Y. Kish	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b226
B228 Zevi Gips	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b228
B230 Menashe Schwartz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b230
B232 Moishe Fisher	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b232
B238 Tuli Appel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b238
B242 Moshe Posner	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b242
B247 Yossi Gluck	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b247
B248 Shoima Yaakov Stern	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b248
B250 Leiby Dembitzer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b250
B251 Sruly Hartman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b251
B252 Yanky Klein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b252
B255 Shlome Gruenbaum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b255
B257 Mechy Hayum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b257
B259 Berry Lefkowitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b259
B262 Yitzchok Fischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b262
B263 Yossie Neiman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b263
B267 Boruch Berkovic	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b267
B268 Yaker Biegeleisen	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b268
B270 Motty Kleinman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b270
B271 Shea Greenfeld	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b271
B272 Nosson Sher	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b272
B301 Shloima Yoel Gold	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b301
B302 Yanky Jeremias	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b302
B303 Ari Fleischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b303
B306 Shulem Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b306
B308 Michoel Wosner	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b308
B311 Mayer Feig	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b311
B313 Shauly Perlstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b313
B315 Shmuly Preizler	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b315
B319 Zisha Weisz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b319
B363 Shlomo Grossman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b363
B500 Shloime Tauber	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b500
B509 Chaim Goldman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b509
C36 Yochonon Klitnick	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/c36
D54 Yehoshua A. Hayum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/d54
D55 Eliezer Spitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/d55
F104 Avrumy Iszak	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/f104
B8 Yehuda Gobioff	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b8
B12 Mendy Mandelbaum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b12
B13 Boruch Gips	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b13
B22 Sholie Perlstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b22
B26 Yitzchok Kovalenko	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b26
B27 Lazer Rosman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b27
B29 Moishe Goldberger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b29
B34 Yochonon Fleischmann A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b34
B35 Yidel Guttman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b35
B38 Yehuda Grunhut	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b38
B39 Mordechai Deutsch	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b39
B42 Shmaya Wiesner	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b42
B45 Rabbi Moshe Stamm A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b45
B48 Yitzchok Milworm	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b48
B49 David Milworm	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b49
B50 Hertzka Halpert	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b50
B51 Yanki Landau	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b51
B53 Shea Goldberger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b53
B55 Mutty Feldman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b55
B58 Shloime Landau	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b58
B60 Nuta Felsenburg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b60
B61 Anchi Wercberger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b61
B63 Moshe Werner	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b63
B64 Nosson Josephy	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b64
B67 Chaskie Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b67
B70 Stuart Goldwasser	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b70
B71 Yidi Stein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b71
B72 Jacob Rubin	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b72
B75 Itchy Heschel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b75
B78 Alter Moishe Kessler	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b78
B79 Efraim Weber	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b79
B84 Bentzy Lebovits	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b84
B86 Menashe Kahan	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b86
B91 Chaim Shloma Moskowitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b91
B94 Cheskel Lefkovits	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b94
B96 Motty Waisbrod	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b96
B99 Heshy Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b99
B200 Chaim Shea Klein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b200
B201 Shaul Zehnwirth	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b201
B204 Shulem Kramer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b204
B205 Yidel Feig	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b205
B209 Duvid Fleischman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b209
B210 Matis Unsdorfer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b210
B212 Moshe Kolodny	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b212
B214 Yossi Hoffman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b214
B216 Chaim Eli Reisman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b216
B219 Moshe Dovid Kish A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b219
B221 Shloime Perlstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b221
B224 Avraham Schneid	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b224
B227 Shauly Itzkowitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b227
B231 Yonason Hoffman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b231
B234 Moshe Waldner	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b234
B235 Yoel Yitzchok Nissen	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b235
B236 Lenny Bril	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b236
B239 Sruly Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b239
B240 Isaac Kleinman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b240
B241 Levi Folger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b241
B244 Moshe Weissmandl	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b244
B245 Sruly Melnicke	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b245
B246 Meilech Klein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b246
B249 Naftali Rosenberg	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b249
B253 Simcha Breuer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b253
B254 Shmiel Aron Zaidman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b254
B258 Shragie Lieber	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b258
B260 Motty Fleischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b260
B265 Ari Fried	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b265
B266 Chaim Goldring	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b266
B269 Yoely Landau	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b269
B273 Yanky Perlstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b273
B274 Moshe Pscherhofer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b274
B275 Moshe Weichselbaum	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b275
B304 Boruch Yiddy Holczler	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b304
B305 Duvi Lovi	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b305
B307 Usher Horowitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b307
B310 Chaim Deutch	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b310
B312 Moshe Schik	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b312
B314 Meir Lebovits	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b314
B316 Shia Zafir	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b316
B317 Shloimy Stern	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b317
B318 Leiby Berkowitz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b318
B321 Yoely Fischer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b321
B336 Shaya Licht	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b336
BS3 Arye Klar	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/bs3
BS5 Leibel Kwadrat	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/bs5
BS7 Pinchos Endzweig	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/bs7
D43 Shlomo Heller	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/d43
D53 Chaim Edelstein	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/d53
D56 Samuel Karmel	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/d56
ES53 Yaacov Freeman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/es53
ES332 Yoely Weisz	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/es332
F112 Yisroel Rosenthal	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/f112
F168 Yossi Weinberger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/f168
RV6 Binyomin Greenspan A"H	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/rv6
ST1 Edgar Gluck	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/st1
W116 Matis Roth	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w116
W55 Sruly Weingarten	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w55
W69 David Spitzer	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w69
SG25 Meilech Rubin	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/sg25
SI23 Chaim Motty Stark	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/si23
W16 Zalmen Weinberger	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w16
W174 Simcha Bernath	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w174
W58 Moshe Richter	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w58
B261 Avrumi Rosman	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b261
W83 Motty Fasten	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w83
W87 Volvy Polatshek	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w87
W95 Tzvi Joseph	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/w95
WS38 Avrohom Wolpin	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/ws38
B213 Eli Serebrowski	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/b213
BS2 Yitzchok Fortgang	https://hatzalahthon.com/bp/bs2