You’ve seen it before: His radio buzzes, he picks it up and hears the call for help, and he’s out the door like he’s got a cape on his back, ready to go save another life.
It can be in shul in the middle of davening.
It can be on Kingston Avenue on Shabbos afternoon.
It can be at a family event when everyone’s enjoying themselves.
These are the visible moments of a typical Hatzalah call. The volunteer heroes drop everything and run to answer the call, bringing help and literal life with them.
But there’s much more to this scene than what meets the eye. There are many more characters to this story, a veritable ensemble cast of people who may not be racing down Kingston Avenue with sirens blaring, but are integral to Hatzalah’s life saving efforts nonetheless.
For every man rushing to answer a call, there’s a wife and children behind him, holding down the fort and calmly ensuring that whatever other responsibility their volunteer husband and father has is taken care of so that someone else can receive life saving care. No matter what’s going on at the domestic home front, these incredible women and kids handle the load with selfless devotion.
Every time a volunteer answers a call, that’s a husband, a father rushing to the emergency. His family doesn’t know when he’ll return, and it’s up to Mommy and the kids to do double duty.
It can be supper with the family. Picking up the younger ones from school. A family get together. Or in the middle of the night, when sleep is so desperately needed. No matter what it is, it is only thanks to these remarkable wives and children that the Crown Heights community can rely on dozens of volunteers to drop everything and respond, regardless of when or where.
All of this tremendous load is shouldered silently and happily by their noble wives and devoted children. They may not drive with sirens blaring, but there’s plenty of noise they tend to elsewhere. They may not be EMTs or paramedics, but they hold degrees in crisis management and selfless dedication.
Throughout the year, the wives and children of the Hatzalah volunteers neither get, nor seek, any credit. As Lag Baomer approaches, the entire community has the chance to join their cause and contribute to Hatzalah’s annual campaign. These unsung heroes give their lives to Hatzalah the whole year round. What will we give to Hatzalah?
Lag Baomer is your chance to answer that question.
