By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Levi Garelik, a halachic posek who divides his time between New York and Belgium, was sitting at a meeting in the Crown Heights Community Council in Brooklyn when he felt something odd.
“It was an afternoon meeting,” he recalls the discussion about community affairs. “I wanted to say something, but the words were not coming out of my mouth, and my right hand felt funny.”
Sitting across from him at the meeting was Rabbi Yosef Vigler, Director of Mayan Yisroel center in Flatbush, who only a short while earlier stumbled upon a spam email that offered “learn the signs of a stroke.”
The email, which Vigler initially planned to delete, showed the F.A.S.T. method of identifying a stroke: Face – looking uneven, Arm – not being able to raise both arms, Speech – sounding strange, Time – calling 911 immediately if these signs are found.
When Rabbi Garelik was asked if he was OK, he tried but was unable to respond. “Rabbi Vigler right away identified the symptoms of a stroke and Hatzalah of Crown Heights was called,” he recalls.
Rushing over were two volunteers of the medical emergency service. JJ Katz quickly ended a phone call about a property deal and Yitzchok Rimler rushed out of Judaica World where he works.
They brought Rabbi Garelik, leader of the European Synagogue in Brussels and presenter of SichosOnline.org, to Maimonides Medical Center where he underwent a CT scan.
On call was Dr. Steven Rudolph, a neurologist and the Director of Maimonides’ Jaffe Stroke Center. “We asked him to carry out certain requests, (after which) we knew immediately that he was suffering from a stroke.”
“My whole right side was basically paralyzed,” recalls Rabbi Garelik and notes that days later he was already out of danger and discharged from the hospital, allowing him to continue his public work.
His deep appreciation for the Hatzalah volunteers is expressed at family simchas, where he honored a member of the organization with saying a bracha, either under the chuppah or during the meal.
“There is no question in my mind that they are the number one thing that needs to be supported properly,” he said in a video calling on the Crown Heights community to support Hatzalah activities.
VIDEO: Produced by Yisroel Lerner and Yehuda Shaffer
Support Hatzalah Crown Heights at hatzalah.ch
amazing video and amazing everything in the video!!!
the bast
Yossi just as you helped your fellow may the zechus help your father to go from strength to strength
You can always give now. Every dollar that they get is used towards saving lives, regardless if they get it at a fundraiser or if a check comes in the mail or online. You can donate online at https://www.hatzalah.ch/web/donatenew.cfm
B”H
Yes supporting Hatzala is a worthy endeavor. Even better,Hashem should end all sickness and put Hatzala out out of business other than delivering babies 6 at a time
there is another one: STR;
S, smile (if smile is crooked)
T, talk (slurred speech)
R, raise both arms (if can’t lift both arms straight infront, it’s sign of stroke)
go berel hassan!!!
Amazing story! And amazing out come
Watching this video just fills me with envy, in a good way, look at these HEROES who live in our community!!!
Such Awesome z’chussim!! WOW!!
The video made plain how absolutely crucial is the work they do…
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!
Boruch Hashem!!!
Hatzalah keep up your GREAT work. Supporter
Great reminders. I understand that the S is for smile – can the person smile and have both sides of the smile be symmetrical and T is for talk – can the person talk coherently and clearly.
The fundraiser was already?! Why wasn’t it announced beforehand?
go hatzalah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! theyre awesome
this story was told by R Gorelik at the hatzalah fundraiser this past Motzei Shabbos
what a story! i love his shiurim! thank you hashem and hatzalah!