Hatzalah Members Gather to Prepare for Fundraiser

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Menachem Cohen/COLlive

45 members of Crown Heights Hatzalah joined a preparation event on Thursday evening, to prepare for the upcoming “Hatzalah Week,” as they launch a campaign to raise $2.5 million.

Volunteers heard words of encouragement and inspiration from the campaign organizers as well as donors who were inspired to contribute.

Zalmy Cohen of United for Protection, which has spearheaded the fundraising campaign for Hatzalah with the proceeds of their Unity Torah writing, addressed the volunteers on the incredible success of last year’s campaign, specifically for the Crown Heights Hatzalah.

Beryl Junik, also of United for Protection, said that if we work together we can accomplish anything, and stressed that the Crown Heights Hatzalah campaign is critical to ensure they will be able to build a new much-needed headquarters for our community.

Also addressing the volunteers was donor Yerachmeal Jacobson, who pledged $30K towards the second Unity Torah during the last Hatzalah-thon in honor of the birth of his grandchild. Jacobson said he is so inspired by the amazing work of Hatzalah that he is pledging another $36K towards this year’s Hatzalah-thon as well.

Also speaking were Hatzalah coordinators Yossi Friedman, JJ Katz and Levi Rabin, who shared words of encouragement with volunteers.

This training event followed one that took place on Thursday in Boro Park, where Zalmy Cohen spoke with over 200 volunteer Hatzalah members and prepared them for the upcoming busy fundraising week.

The worldwide Hatzalah-week has been launched with the goal of raising $15 million dollars for Hatzalah branches around the world. 56 Hatzalah branches have joined the campaign. Over $2 million has already been raised ahead of the campaign.

Click here to donate now.

Hatzalah week will take place on April 25 – May 2, and includes the Hatzalah-thon live event on Thursday, April 29, Lag B’Omer.

The live event will feature the biggest stars in Jewish music, including Yishai Ribo, Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David, Benny Elbaz, 8th Day – the brothers Shmuli and Bentzi Marcus, Mordechai Shapiro and Motty Steinmetz.

To purchase a letter in the Torah which is uniting Jews around the world, visit UnitedForProtection.com.

Tune in to the Hatzalah-thon event, Thursday, April 29, 2021 on UnitedforProtection.com and on COLlive.com.