Shabbos, 4 Sivan marks the 12th Yartzeit of R’ Leibel Bistritzky, the founding member, Coordinator and an active member of the Crown Heights Hatzalah since its inception.
He joined Hatzalah in the mid 1970s and was active for approximately 30 years, saving many lives.
He was a ‘ben bayis’ by the Lubavitcher Rebbe and was part of his personal medical team. When the Rebbe suffered a heart attack on Simchas Torah in 1977 and refused to be taken to a hospital, R’ Leibel was able to borrow equipment from the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital so that the doctors could monitor the Rebbe and stabilize him at the scene.
The next day, one of his sons drove to New Jersey and purchased all the machinery necessary to turn the Rebbe’s office into a state-of-the-art medical center.
For several years, Hatzalah of Crown Heights did not yet have its own ambulance and was forced to use private vehicles, or wait for nearby Williamsburg Hatzalah ambulance to transport patients when necessary.
In 1984, R’ Leibel organized an event to raise money to buy an ambulance, and the Rebbe gave a public talk supporting the effort. R’ Leibel also arranged the ambulance parking right in front of 770. He was also very active with many other community causes, on the forefront of Chesed, and was loved by all.
His son, CH-6 Avrohom, and grandsons F-109 Shlome, CH-37 Dr. Zev Nelkin, F-52 Nasanel Gold, and the son in-law of CH-6, CH-39 Mendy Gorodetsky are all following in his footsteps continuing his legacy.
I remember him well, he was a real tzaddik. Always given over to helping others. We miss him dearly.
Always the first in the Tahalucha! Always next to the Rebbe for kos shel brocha. And a kind warmhearted person!
If I not mistaken the first Ambulance was purchased in 1979
It was 1977
It was before the Rebbe had the heart attack
They already had the ambulance that שמיני עצרת
Leading the Tahalucho with Leibel Groner to Canarsie, on a Shabbos during Sefiras Ho’Omer.