In an effort to try and show even a sliver of gratitude to the heroic men and women that make up our first responders, Jewish communities from all over the world gathered last night to join in a drive named the “Hatzalah-Thon: A Day of Joy, Appreciation, and Giving” to celebrate and give.
In a beautiful display of unity, all the branches of Hatzallah, a volunteer emergency medical service and ambulance provider, gathered in one coordinated drive to raise funds as they battle the coronavirus in communities across the United States.
This is especially true for the Crown Heights Hatzalah chapter, who according to Dr. Eli Rosen, after working with Hatzalah to prepare for the onslaught, said that it was “the first community to have widespread dissemination of the disease.”
“The normal Hatzalah volume in Crown Heights is about seven, eight calls a day, as the pandemic hit it started to increase till it reached a point where it was 10 times the normal call volume. Hatzalah of Crown Heights was just being hit with call after call after call with no respite,” said Yossi Friedman, a paramedic and coordinator, in a video shown at the fundraiser.
The fundraiser takes place on the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer, a joyous festival that usually brings people together. To try and combat the lack of personal connection, a concert with a slew of top Jewish singers took the virtual stage to fuel the 24-hour drive that includes performances from Avraham Fried, Shulem Lemer, Gad Elbaz and 8th Day Band.
The concert/fundraiser is developed and created by United for Protection, a grassroots initiative started by three Brooklyn-based businessmen to respond to the virus with acts of Jewish unity.
“The nonstop sirens from two weeks ago are still ringing in my ears,” organizer Zalmy Cohen said. “These individuals, they have families, they have their own health to protect, they are volunteers. What they have done and continue to do is awe-inspiring.”
If you would like to donate to Hatzalah of Crown Heights click here; and if you would like to join the live event that is ongoing till 7 p.m. then Click here
