March 26, 2004 - What I am about to write about just happened and I am still in shock and in tears, so please forgive me if I ramble a bit. I needed to write it to someone.
As my brother and I were heading home from work on Thursday night, to my apartment in Har Adar, we were hailed down by a young man. To our right, a car was sitting in the trees, mangled. It must have been going close to 200 kilometers per hour when the driver lost control.
My brother and I have both had extensive medical training over many years, so we ran to help. What I saw horrified me.
Five young Israelis, crushed. We were the first ones on the scene and I ran to the driver. There was blood splattered everywhere. His neck was broken, along with at least his nose, and he was drowning in his own blood. Two out of three of the passengers in the back were already dead.
All I could do was try to keep the two barely awake and frightened boys calm until the medics arrived. The fear in their eyes scared me so much. All I wanted to do was tell them it was okay, but I knew it was far from that.
As usual, a crowd gathered and the medics arrived. As I stood there, I looked at the Magen David Adom ambulance. On the side, the writing said "Donated to the people of Israel" and "Ve'ahavta Lereiacha kamocha" ("Love your neighbor as yourself"). It was donated from kind, loving Jews in Los Angeles.
We are incredible people. Even with all the violence and hate around us and directed at us, our religion still preaches love and purity.
Los Angeles Jews should know that their love saved a life tonight. I saw it with my own eyes. I have never loved my people more than I do right now.
We, as a people, need to step back and look at what is important. The essence of being Jewish is "love your neighbor as yourself." It must come before everything else. To be able to reach a loving relationship with Hashem, we need to love each other first. It is time we united. There is no secular. There is no religious. Just Jewish. If we can learn this - and I mean really believe this and keep it close to our hearts - we will see the Mashiach.
My brother and I plan on becoming army medics in a combat unit in July. Maybe, someday, I too will have the honor of saving one of my many brothers and sisters, whom I love so much.
As my brother and I were heading home from work on Thursday night, to my apartment in Har Adar, we were hailed down by a young man. To our right, a car was sitting in the trees, mangled. It must have been going close to 200 kilometers per hour when the driver lost control.
My brother and I have both had extensive medical training over many years, so we ran to help. What I saw horrified me.
Five young Israelis, crushed. We were the first ones on the scene and I ran to the driver. There was blood splattered everywhere. His neck was broken, along with at least his nose, and he was drowning in his own blood. Two out of three of the passengers in the back were already dead.
All I could do was try to keep the two barely awake and frightened boys calm until the medics arrived. The fear in their eyes scared me so much. All I wanted to do was tell them it was okay, but I knew it was far from that.
As usual, a crowd gathered and the medics arrived. As I stood there, I looked at the Magen David Adom ambulance. On the side, the writing said "Donated to the people of Israel" and "Ve'ahavta Lereiacha kamocha" ("Love your neighbor as yourself"). It was donated from kind, loving Jews in Los Angeles.
We are incredible people. Even with all the violence and hate around us and directed at us, our religion still preaches love and purity.
Los Angeles Jews should know that their love saved a life tonight. I saw it with my own eyes. I have never loved my people more than I do right now.
We, as a people, need to step back and look at what is important. The essence of being Jewish is "love your neighbor as yourself." It must come before everything else. To be able to reach a loving relationship with Hashem, we need to love each other first. It is time we united. There is no secular. There is no religious. Just Jewish. If we can learn this - and I mean really believe this and keep it close to our hearts - we will see the Mashiach.
My brother and I plan on becoming army medics in a combat unit in July. Maybe, someday, I too will have the honor of saving one of my many brothers and sisters, whom I love so much.