By Libby Herz – COLlive
Hatzolah Air, Hatzolah’s emergency transport service, celebrated its first ever Siyum Sefer Torah this past Sunday 14 Av, August 18.
The joyous event took place at the Hatzolah Air hangar in Sullivan County, NY International Airport. Throughout day, around 1,000 people streamed to the event for the writing of the final letters, including community members, Hatzolah members, and politicians.
The writing was concluded with joyous dancing, and the atmosphere was filled with great simcha. One touching moment was when Rabbi Herschel Weber, the founder of Hatzolah, who was in a wheelchair, took the Torah and danced with it.
The Siyum Sefer Torah was unique, as it took place near Hatzolah Air’s new helicopter which was on display for the community. Participants also toured the hangar, offices, and planes. Community members had the opportunity to meet the pilots and medical crew during the event as well.
The Torah campaign has been in the works for three years, with letters being sold through Hatzolah’s website Hatzolair.org.
Hatzolah Air was founded in December 2018 by Eli Rowe, a paramedic from Queens. Rowe has been a pilot for 20 years, and was involved in transporting the Rebbe on Chof Zayin Adar, from the Ohel to 770.
Hatzolah Air provides urgent flights for those needing emergency medical services. Unlike regular Hatzolah calls, which usually last an hour or two, once on a call, Hatzolah Air crew members commit to taking any subsequent call for a minimum of 24 hours.
It is due to this that one year, a paramedic crew was in the air for the entire Shavuos. Although they had a minyan, there was no Sefer Torah.
Now, there will always be a Sefer Torah on board. The new Torah will be housed on the Gulfstream G-550, accompanying patients and medical crew on flights across the globe.
Hatzolah air calls often last for the full 24 hours. Once a request is approved, case managers coordinate with the family and the medical director to make sure everything is taken care of, and the medic on board stays with the patient for the entire flight.
For example, after flying a patient from Texas Children’s Hospital to Boston, Hatzolah might get another urgent request to transport someone from Florida to California. If they’re flying from New York to Florida with an immunocompromised patient and then need to take a child to Boston afterward, Hatzolah Air makes sure both patients get where they need to go.
Hatzolah Air provides lifesaving emergency medical air transport globally to those in need, regardless of their location. They do their best to alleviate the distress that families experience during times of crisis through their efficient air transportation. Hatzolah Air is thrilled to have their very own Sefer Torah on board with them for each flight.
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