A Superlative Triumph – the Creation of Hatzolah in Sydney
SYDNEY, Australia — Rabbi Mendy Litzman arrived in Sydney from New York four and a half years ago. After studying here, he went to America to do his smicha (studies to become a Rabbi). We in Sydney are fortunate that he then returned to marry his wife Dani, and they have made their home here. Read More>>>
Partnership with NSW Ambulance
Rabbi Mendy Litzman is the founder and President of Hatzolah in Sydney. Hatzolah started responding to emergencies in June of 2006. Since our inception we have rendered care for the sick and injured in the Jewish Community and anyone who calls.
Read the reports from NSW Ambulance.
Success Stories
Hatzolah’s Bondi lifesavers
SIX Jewish volunteer lifesavers from Hatzolah helped save the lives of two Indonesian Muslim teenagers who nearly drowned at Bondi Beach on Tuesday (August 30).
Hatzolah’s Mendy Litzman said his volunteers responded in less than two minutes when the call for help came through after the boys were rescued from the surf by Bondi lifeguards.
“We received the 000 call that patients weren’t breathing and we assisted straight away,” Litzman said.
“We assist everyone regardless of religion, race or gender, and I’m proud that we were able to help the teenagers that were plucked from the surf.”
The two 16-year-olds were part of a group of seven students visiting Sydney.
Hatzolah was established in NSW in 2006.
In 2014, it became one of the first communal and volunteer-based organisations to formally work with paramedics. It was recognised by the NSW Health System as an acceptable first-responder and responds to 000 calls when its volunteers are closest to the scene of an incident.
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Hatzolah gets a new first responder vehicle
The new, larger vehicle enables Hatzolah to carry extra equipment and is kitted out with specialised scene lighting allowing the service to operate optimally at calls to outdoor locations after dark.
There are also extra radios and batteries on board, and space to house extra supplies.
Hatzolah has taken delivery of its new response vehicle which was generously donated by Sydney’s Wolper Jewish Hospital.
“The new vehicle is able to carry more equipment and can be used to re-stock our other vehicles while on-scene, making us more ready to respond when we are needed,” said Rabbi Mendy Litzman, founder and President of Hatzolah Sydney.
The new specially appointed Toyota Prado went into action just hours after Rabbi Litzman picked the vehicle up, attending a cardiac arrest victim. “We were on the scene literally within 5 minutes of taking the call from Ambulance NSW,” said the Rabbi.
In May 2014, Hatzolah became an accredited NSW Ambulance Community First Responder (CFR) unit, enabling it to respond as a back-up to paramedics during medical emergencies.
Since then Hatzolah’s partnership with the Ambulance Service has extended with the Service relying heavily on Hatzolah to respond to all cardiac incidents across the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
Wolper Jewish Hospital has been a long-time supporter of Hatzolah, this being the second vehicle the Hospital has supplied to them. In total the service now has three active response vehicles.
Daniel Goulburn OAM, President of Wolper Jewish Hospital said, “Wolper’s association with Hatzolah dates back many years to when Rabbi Litzman approached the Hospital to support the establishment of the organisation. The Board immediately saw Hatzolah as an important community health initiative. We are proud to continue our support of, and association with, them. ”
Rabbi Litzman was extremely proud to show Goulburn the new vehicle at Wolper the morning after taking delivery. “Everyone at Hatzolah is extremely happy and thankful that Wolper is continuing to sponsor us”.
What you need to know about Hatzolah:
- Residents of Sydney’s eastern suburbs should save Hatzolah’s number in their emergency directories-
9371 2222. - Hatzolah is an all-volunteer emergency medical services organisation staffed by male Jewish Orthodox Emergency medical technicians and Paramedics.
- Hatzolah responders are on stand-by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including Shabbat and Yom Tovim.
- Call Hatzolah for all medical emergencies. Hatzolah responders will then contact an ambulance if needed.
- Hatzolah is a free service to all members of the community.
Two teenagers in serious condition after being pulled from water at Bondi Beach
Two teenagers have been taken to hospital in a serious condition after they were pulled from the water at Bondi Beach on Tuesday afternoon.
The boys, who are both 16, were pulled from the water after a large group of swimmers got into trouble around 12.30pm.
A group of seven boys, who are international students, were swimming between the flags when they were hit by a large wave and “began to struggle”.
“It’s just one of those unfortunate incidents where a wave’s come in and caught them off-guard,” Chief inspector Chris Stiles from NSW Police said.
The swimmers were pulled to safety by Bondi Lifeguards before they were treated by paramedics, including volunteers from the Jewish-run Hatzolah service.
One boy was “submerged for a period of time”, a NSW Ambulance spokesman said, and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a serious condition.
He remained in a serious condition on Tuesday afternoon.
Another boy was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick in a serious but stable condition.
It is believed the students were not strong swimmers.
The remaining five teenage boys were wrapped in thermal blankets and also taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital by ambulance as a precaution.
Sydney Children’s Hospital was unable to give an update on the condition of the students.
The teenagers are believed to be part of a school group from Indonesia who are visiting Australia for two weeks.
Photos from the beach showed a large group of students wearing their brown school uniform and waiting as their classmates were treated.
A spokeswoman for Waverley Council, which employs the lifeguards patrolling Bondi Beach, said six lifeguards were involved in the rescue at North Bondi.
“We are still ascertaining all of the facts regarding this incident so are not able to provide specifics on today’s event,” the spokeswoman said.
“The lifeguards would like to thank all members of the public and emergency services who assisted with the rescue.”
Police said officers from the Eastern Suburbs Local Area Command are conducting inquiries into the “near-drowning”.
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