Sudden ice storm brings out our best

I write the following thoughts not as an Achiezer representative, nor in any official capacity, but simply as a lifelong resident of the Far Rockaway/Five Towns community. There are just certain moments that are enough to make anyone marvel at the amazing community in which we are blessed to live.

As most of you no doubt recall, on Friday, Jan. 10, a sudden and unexpected sheet of ice blanketed the streets and sidewalks. It was an otherwise typical cold morning, and the frightening part was that it was mostly black ice and largely unseen to the naked eye. In a matter of moments there were literally dozens of accidents and emergencies. Cars slid into one another, mothers and children slipped and fell, and many elderly individuals suffered terrible falls and subsequent injuries.

Just as quickly, our community sprang into action.

Both Rabbi Kanner, venerable coordinator of Chevra Hatzalah, and the indefatigable Zvi Bokow called Achiezer, strongly suggesting that an urgent community warning be sent out immediately. Within moments the email was blasted. Dozens of shuls and individuals forwarded it to as many people as possible.

Chaim Liebtag, the “never-resting” president of the White Shul, called within minutes, asking what else he could do to help. Volunteers from the Young Israel of Woodmere fanned out, clearing the pathways and sidewalks near the shul. David Kopelowitz, ready to go with his famous “Chesed machine monster 4x4 truck,” texted to find out who needed to be carried up and down stairs, who needed to get to doctors’ appointments etc. Avraham Friedman of Bayswater went to numerous homes of the elderly and vulnerable making sure that the dangerous ice was cleared away.

All the while, every single Hatzalah ambulance in our community was busy racing around, bringing more than a dozen fall victims to the hospital. Chaverim volunteers passed up on their own Shabbos errands in favor of helping those with car trouble during this period.

In the local hospitals, numerous frum people congregated in the emergency rooms. Phone chargers were swapped, snacks and tehillims were shared and our community cared for one another, in ways that we have never seen before.