Hatzoloh stations at the Western Wall Square and at the grave
of Shimon Hatzaddik in Jerusalem were inaugurated by Hatzoloh
Jerusalem last week in a ceremony attended by Rav Shmuel
Rabinovitz, the rov of the Kosel and the Old City's other
holy sites; R' Yosef Shwinger, director of the National
Center for the Development of Holy Sites; R' Dovid Greenwald,
chairman of Hatzoloh Jerusalem; and numerous Hatzoloh
Jerusalem volunteers.
The unique Hatzoloh stations include sophisticated medical
equipment used to perform life-saving first aid. The lock
protecting the equipment is opened with a code made available
to the police, Magen David Adom, the administration of the
National Center for the Development of Holy Sites and members
of the Hatzoloh administration.
Rav Rabinovitz, who was given the honor of inaugurating the
Hatzoloh station, lauded the organization for its welcome
initiative saying, "We hope there is no need for it, but we
must do our hishtadlus." Adding to his praise for
Hatzoloh he said it "had the merit of being the `shaliach
tzibur' for all of us, saving lives and sustaining entire
worlds," he said, referring to a well-known statement in the
gemora (Sanhedrin 37a), Kol hamekayem nefesh achas
miYisroel maaleh olov hakosuv ke'ilu kiyem olom moleh.
R' Yosef Shwinger, director of the National Center for the
Development of Holy Sites, said he attributes great
importance to the close cooperation between the organization
he heads and Hatzoloh, whose combined efforts benefit
hundreds of thousands of people who come to visit and pray at
holy sites around the country all year long.
Hatzoloh Chairman R' Dovid Greenwald said setting up Hatzoloh
stations at the Kosel and Kever Shimon Hatzaddik are the
first in a series of Hatzoloh projects at crowded places
around the country. "In the near future, im yirtzeh
Hashem, we will set up similar Hatzoloh stations at other
holy sites across the country--at Kever Rochel in Meron, at
botei knesses, talmudei Torah, schools, religious
centers and shopping centers, etc.," he said.
These types of life-saving stations in central locations have
already proven their worth in the past, due to their
accessibility, to rescue workers during emergencies he added.
In dense crowds "by the time the volunteer runs to bring the
first-aid kit, assembles it and returns to the site of the
incident, the victim's condition deteriorates, and these
minutes are crucial in saving the life of the victim."
The Hatzoloh administration says the project was advanced
through collaborative efforts by those in charge of the holy
sites and the generosity of certain important contributors--
including the families of people saved, be'ezer
Hashem, through the hishtadlus of dedicated
Hatzoloh personnel - - who regularly send money and urge the
Hatzoloh administration to advance the project quickly to
save other lives as well, with hopes and prayers that such
efforts will never actually be needed.
