Word Prompt – HATZALAH – Asher Yablok

The word Hatzalah draws my attention to a lot of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, it draws me toward Mordechai’s famous words teaching Esther that the Jewish people would find salvation no matter what and it was simply a function of who was going to be the conduit. I’m also drawn toward the somewhat humorous Hatzalah culture that has become a bit of a meme, most recently in the comedy of Dovie Neuberger. Hatzalah members often have their own minyanim, and have developed a full subculture within our local shuls and communities.

But what really strikes me is the remarkable fact that a network of people, many committed to very intense and demanding jobs, with large families and community responsibilities, will stop anything and everything to help somebody in need.