Upon Being Asked for our Opinion on the Issue, on Behalf of the Rabbonim, We hereby Present it:
In these past months, we were witness to medical emergency cases, part of which involved children and infants, which ended tragically. These included suffocation as a result of swallowing a foreign object, burns, loss of consciousness, including unfortunate episodes where, had basic medical aid been administered, lives might have been saved.
According to medical statistics, in cases of medical emergency, especially in infants and children, a quick reaction is decisive in saving lives or in future recuperation. Such a response can come from the parents or anyone in the immediate vicinity.
Despite the fact that chareidi cities are at the top of the list of young cities in Israel, with a relatively very high proportion of children, to our regret, it appears that most families do not have the basic know-how in dealing with such events and have not undergone basic training in learning the rules of minimal critical life-saving procedures.
In these days, a project called "The Secure Family" has been launched by United Hatzolah (Israel) to provide basic and quick information and training to each family through a four hour course, provided free, under the supervision of rabbonim and with professional medical backing.
Our professional stand is that such a course constitutes the basis for literal life preservation. Consequently, it is vital and proper that every family have at least one parent undergoing this imperative course for the sake of the health of children and adults alike, and all the more so is it obligated for all employees in the educational network of all ages.
With blessings,
Dr. Meshulam Hart Professor P. Surkin Dr. Mordechai Nivan
Dr. Asher Plotznik Dr. Chaim Y. Stroh Dr. R. Nivan Dr. Chaim Menachem Breyer
This letter is being publicized with our authorization
Yitzchok Zilberstein Yehuda Silman Shmuel Rosenstein
