Tragedy has once again struck the Monsey community, with the tragic death of a 15-year-old Yeshiva student. The incident occurred early this morning – when a van from a Catskills camp traveling to the State of Maine – was involved in a serious car accident. Unfortunately, Gedalia Rosenblatt was R”L pronounced dead at the scene. Rabbi Bernard Freilich, special assistant to the Superintendent of the New York State Police was contacted by the Major of the Maine State Police – and is working together with the Misaskim Organization in getting the Niftar back to NY for a Levaya.
Police tell Yeshivaworld, that 11 others have been hospitalized with various injuries – three of which are in grave condition.
UPDATE 12:45PM EST: Thanks to the work of various community Askonim, a private jet will be leaving Farmingdale Airport in a few minutes to pick up the body of Habochur Gedalia Rosenblat Z”L.
The hope is that the Levaya and Kevura will take place in Monsey before Shekiah today.
The Levaya details will be posted as soon as they become available to us.
UPDATE 5:28PM EST: The Niftar is being loaded into the airplane at this moment. The exact Levaya schedule will be posted shortly.
UPDATE 8:41PM EST: The body of Habochur Gedalia Rosenblat Z”L has been transferred from Maine to NY by the Misaskim Organization. Chesed Shel Emmes will be doing the Tahara now, and the levayah will be held at approximately 10:00PM – in Monsey – at Rabbi Adler’s Shul
Besuros Tovos. –YW Editor.
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65 Responses
” ד’ ירחם”
Hashem yerachem – do u know what camp this was
my bro is 15 and is supp to be on a trip today – i really want to know…… besuros tovos!
any body know which camp this was?
Hashem yerachem. Can someone please update with the tehillim names of these boys? May we only hear besuros tovos.
Seven Springs Camp from Bethel,NY
It seems as if K’lal Yisroel is going through unusually high rate of tzorus this summer. I hope that our present-day gedolim will come out with an explanation to guide us in the correct path as chodesh Elul approaches. The sad period of the 3 weeks & 9 days has not turned into a nechomo time. Let us all think what we can do to improve the condition of our fellow Jews and hope H will bless us with sholom.
Seriously has anyone sat down and compared this Summer to previous Summers ? Maybe we just hear about it faster thru the Internet.
There is tragedy in every season and every year. I am unsure how to calculate it out.
he was a bochur in shaarei arazim of monsey
is that rabbi rosenmans yeshiva?
tehillim needed for yehoshua meshulum ben soro leah
Tzadik in Peltz:
Nobody is really counting. It was merely an expression of grief, shock, and disbelief. Let’s not lose focus on the larger story, please.
FROM Maine News Website:
One person was killed and 12 others were injured after a van pulling a trailer loaded with canoes overturned on Interstate 95 in northern Maine on Monday morning.
Steve McCausland of the Maine Department of Public Safety said a passenger in the van was killed and two others were critically injured. He said it took seven ambulances to transport all of the victims, who were from a summer camp in New York.
Troopers said the van from Camp Serene Springs in Bethel, N.Y., was coming to Maine so campers could canoe the Penobscot River and hike Mount Katahdin. The campers were all boys from ages 14 to 18. There also were two camp counselors. The accident happened at about 7 a.m. in Argyle Township, north of Bangor.
The northbound lane of I-95 at the crash site has been closed since the accident and is unlikely to reopen until at least Monday afternoon. A team of state troopers is investigating the crash.
Is it time for a ban on driving through the night? Unless my assumption is wrong, if the accident happened about seven am, chances are the van left very very early in the morning or very late at night to be in Maine at that time of the morning coming from Bethel. This is not the first time that an accident has occurred because of this kind of driving.
We as a community can handle bans on strawberries, Indian hair, water from a drinking fountain, etc. I would hope that if a ban from the Gedolim comes out that overnight driving is not allowed, certainly not for groups of children on school or camp trips and groups of bochrim coming back to yeshiva from a chasuna, people will listen. At the same time, perhaps directives can be issued that all passengers must wear seatbelts, bike riders must wear helmets, camps and hotels must follow fire code and health codes, swimming pools must have licensed lifeguards and locked doors, etc, etc. – that these rules are just as mandatory and IMPORTANT as not eating strawberries or not leaving unpeeled eggs overnight… Maybe if as a klal, we can follow SAFETY rules that are insituted to keep us SAFE, we can see less of these types of tragedies. We are people known for our SEICHEL…let’s start using it!!
Gedalia was such a sweet boy. He was so nice, so friendly. He’d thank you for every little thing you’d do. He’d would listen to every word you’d say, so sincerely and with such concern. Such a loss! Such a geat loss!
It had been obvious that he was designed for greatness. Now that greatness will be in the Olom Hoemes.
His family is also so fine and eidel. May Hasem lead them with mercy through these trying times.
Gold – thanks!! Also – wearing reflectors at night, car seat alarms for forgetting kids in car, smoking, safeguards for fires started by liechter, blechs etc. ushmarten es nafshosiachem. – we shouldnt have to constanly hear how great people are in helping transport bodies.
I saw last night a white van with a trailer loaded with canoes in the Exxon gas station in Monticello, appx. 10:00 pm, white like 12 teenagers, I guess it’s this van
monsey resident
who are his parents?
In reply to #17, the family lives on Jacaruso Dr. (the Dr. Frank/Riguad area) and have younger children in the monsey schools.
Gold, while acknowledging the seriousness of the tragedy, why do we need gedolim to ban an activity just because someone was hurt or killed? Should we ban walking because someone was killed in the street? Should we ban driving cars b’chlal because dozens of people are killed every day in car accidents. Whatever happened to common sense? If the driver was tired, she shouldn’t have been driving. I don’t need a gadol’s ban to tell me that. If it wasn’t the driver and just stam an accident – yad Hashem, then I don’t need a ban for that either because it won’t prevent the next one. Hashem has HIS ways when r”l a person’s time comes.
We should increase or mitzvos and ma’asim tovim, and of course, our ahavas chinnom. But, I don’t think we need a ban for everything that happens in our society. Soon, we won’t have to think for ourselves anymore.
Last year, R’ Chaim Stein shlita said we have to make the American bein hazmanim shorter to avoid these tragedies, and no-one listened.
Here is a video clip of the aftermath of this tragic event:
http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=68051
Here is a photograph:
http://www.wmtw.com/news/13828780/detail.html
Yes, Ari Tapuach, those are other great safety ideas. I myself do not have connections to Gedolim, but if any of you readers do PLEASE PLEASE speak to them about SAFETY issues, and have them issue takanos or whatever the appropriate terminology is. This has got to stop. They say that every Jewish person is a world – a WORLD!!! So why are we not using our seichel to keep WORLDS alive and healthy! What is wrong with us! Again, we have seforim telling us about the sakanah of leaving unpeeled eggs overnight and eating meat and fish together. What about the dangers that are so REAL and EVIDENT in our times today???
Does anyone know where and when the funeral will be?
well gee….we had a war in E”Y last summer….at least for those of us in E”Y it was a pretty rough summer.
Of course the current news as absolutely awful as well.
Just a reminder…..the war last summer…..many many Yidden were killed. Millions left their homes.
another point…..
I live in E”Y but am visiting US. In E”Y we are, unfortuantly, used to the “it will be ok” attitude to all aspects of life. there is a lack of following rules & being careful.
But I must say I do see some of that here in the frum velt. A lot of young bachurim are having a great time….there almost seems to be an attitude like “hey we are bachurim….we are supposed to do crazy things like stay up all night & then drive here or there”. I see that adults don’t like it so much…..but I see it is happening.
Yeshiva bachurim are our pride & joy. they are our soldiers, they are our future. So we give them a lot of kavod, a lot of leeway….whatever.
But….this reckless sort of behavior “hey, we’re bachurim….what can you expect?”….this seems to be a real problem.
Just think for a second about the general world. now think of a college student being a camp counselor. I think there is not too much acceptance for “Hey I am a college student….so I stayed up all night & then drove….” etc.
I may be seeing the grass as greener on the other side but….maybe not?
We don’t need to flip out….and assur everything. I mean, I find it wild to see the kids in the US all padded up & helmeted when they go rollerskating etc! I mean….how we kids of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s ever survive?
BUT….on the other hand, the “animal house” approach to bachur life may not be the wisest approach.
Rabosai, it’s very simple (to me) why in the SUMMER there are more tragedies befalling Klal Yisroel.
In this past weeks parsha, we read: kei lo al halechem levado yichyeh hadom – ki al kol motzei pi Hashem yechyeh hadam
(כי על כל מוצא פי ה’ יחיה האדם כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם)
Its Simple: you can take all the vitamins in the world, drink green tea, eat organic food etc., at the end of the day its Hashem who keeps you alive!!!! (of course we have a chyuv of hishtadlus, and ushmartem es nafshoseychem) but the yesoed is, no matter what precautions a man can take, if it’s the ratzon Hashem……He runs the show – EIN OD MILVADO!!!
In my humble opinion the #1 reason for SUMMER tragedies is becaude hevel peihem shel tinokos shel beis rabon is far much less because of summer vacation. Yes, learning goes on in camps, but nothing like the rest of the other 10 months!!
The # 2 reason is Bein Hazmanim, when there is less Torah being learned, Klal Yisroel is far more vulnerable to succumb to tragedy RM’L!
Now don’t get me wrong, kids and especially the dedicated rabayim NEED ‘down time’ to recharge their batteries! Camp, trips, swimming etc is very healthy for all!
And our heiligeh kollel and beni Torah need a respite to enjoy with their families etc.
I’m a regular ‘grubeh’ Bal Habus – and sadly my learning is far lacking, BUT may I suggest some kind of way to BOOST Torah learning during theses days? Something like they already have on Motzei Shabbos and on Purim day which BOOST learning when there’s no Yeshiva? Just an idea… any thoughts?
Camp Serene Springs ?? Is this the real name or the english translation?
MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND TO ALL THAT WERE INJURED.
Shmuel99: There is no ‘Animal House’ approach to bachur life, and no, this reality is not in any way confined to teenagers in the ‘frum velt’. It is simply and sometimes tragically referred to as the natural maturing process of teenagers. I had once heard quoted from the Rama Mi’Pano that although a boy receives the Ol of Mitzvos at 13, not until ‘Ben Shmoneh Esrei’ is he generally ready for Chuppah due to the required maturing process he needs to be a good husband and father. Hence, teenage immaturity, carelessness, and “bring it on” attitude are, and always have been part of Hashem’s devinely designed growth process. It is NOT a new phenomena and certainly is NOT unique to Yeshiva Bochurim.
Hashem Yeracheim Aleinu!
a practical eitza to help with ahavas chinim is to look at everyone with an eiyan tov,always don lekaf zechus,never judge anyone,you never know what someone might be going through in their personal life,everyone has a pekel and everyone deserves rachmanos,desire the best for our friends and daven for others to have success and happiness and ultimitly you will become a true ohev yisroel and the geula will be that much closer
frum jew, driving through the night is different than stam driving during the day. my point is that kids are sent to camps and to schools and have no power over what is being allowed in regard to safety issues. if schools and camps will institute a rule that there will be no overnight driving at all for any trips, it will make the parents breathe easier. how can such a rule be instituted? if the gedolim will request it.
you are right that people should know on their own what is safe and what is not. but unfortunately that is not the case. but there are many people who will listen to the gedolim more than they will listen to stam any person saying “that is not a safe thing to do.”
Just four youre information i was in lakwood last week and somone gave me a dvd about the last war its called gog u mogog and thay bring down from diffrent places in tnach and chumish waht will be in the ending days rabosy word by word thats happning now with all these tzorous stasts in the medrish and all over but the gemoro says in sanhadrin that even thow YESH AL MI LAHISHOAIN ALO AL AVENU SHABASHOMAYIM!!
Boruch Dayin Emes. What is it with Monsey?
Father of the niftar is Shais Rosenblatt from Monsey.
Takeh??? – thanks for this perspective. It seems to contain a lot of truth to it. I guess the age of “18” is maybe todays “25/26”. cause just compare a 19 – 21 year old bachur to a 23 y/o and it is really quite a difference (of course marriage plays a huge role in that).
It makes no difference if it were more or less or the same. Kal Pironios are b/c of and for klal yisrael so every incident in every year was to teach, warn, or punish us for something. Let every one be mekabel something and do it. We should be constantly improving. May we never get any more harsh reminders like this.
Gedalia Rosenblatt Z”L was my best student; he was always attentive and sweet, and always had the right answer when I called on him. Out of all his fellow classmates, Gedalia scored the very highest on this year’s NY Math Regents Exam. Even with the highest of marks, he never incurred jealousy because he was also one of Shaarei Arazim’s most humble. Gedalia was a man who knew his talents but was quietly reserved. He was an anav and a true mentch.
My heart goes out to his friends and family. Klal Yisrael lost a stunning star today, R”L.
-Yehoshua Yisrael Parker
#9
is that rabbi rosenmans yeshiva?
Comment by itsprivate — August 6, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
YES IT IS
Re: MarkO
I davened mariv with these bose at 9:45 at that same exxon gas station you mentioned. They were all full of energy and all smiles, getting ready for their trip. All the families should know that every one of those boys davened mariv before they headed out on their trip.
I had a quick shmooze with some of them after mariv and each boy was nicer than the next. They are from different areas and I know one is from california.
Hashem yeracheim. It mamash hurts to hear this story knowing that I spoke to these wonderful boys 5 minutes before they set out on their trip.
Besoros tovos. May we only hear simcha.
We will always remember Gedalia as a very kind, sensitive boy with unusual depth and clarity of mind. He was a tremendous anav, well mannered and soft spoken. What a tremendous loss for klal Yisroel. May his parents and family be comforted among the mourners of Zion.
#20 Shorter bein hazamanim is not the answer, we’d have to cancel chol hamoel also, and any simcha, convention, shabbaton that a car or van is necessary for. Hakol bedai shamayim, we have the shtadlus to do what we can in safety, and be prudent about our physical abilities, the rest is destiny…..
the latest i heard as of about 8:40 was that Rabbi Adler ( his shul is on North Rigaud at the top of Merrick and top of Jacaruso ) said that the levayo won’t take place the earliest 11:00 or 11:30. so stay posted.
FYI
the camps official name is bethel livestock farm aka Franklins farm!!!
I was a camper there for a few years and i can tell you that safety was one of their biggest concerns!
I’m sure that they didn’t drive through the night but switched off drivers…
My heart goes out to everyone of the boys involved and their families
and i’ll be in touch with them.
To all those with the brilliant ideas.
#1- Does it ever occur to you that the family READS these comments?
I guess not.
#2- They were driving as safe as possible. They were hauling a large trailer behind them – loaded with equipment for their trip – when the trailer suddenly started swerving. (Possibly due to a blowout, or axle problem). The driver was unable to control the vehicle and they rolled over multiple times.
#3- I can just smell the comments coming of “why were the tires not checked before leaving etc etc”.
GET REAL.
The levaya is called for 11:00 and NOT 10:00.
Gedalia z”l was a close friend of mine he was such a baal derech eretz he learnt with great hasmada he was always very easy and pleasant to get along with
Yehoshua Meshulam ben Sara Leah is one of the boys critically injured. He’s such a zeesa fine boy – probably a counselor as he’s in his early 20’s. Though I haven’t seen him for 5+ years, I’ve kept my tabs as he’s a dear talmid/chaver. A real ben aliyah, learning in the Mir in Yerushalayim. I heard – though details are sketchy – that he’s due to be in or is in surgery now. I heard words like spine and neck. PLEASE BE MISPALLEL FOR HIM.
If anyone has details, please pass them on.
we dont need any takonos, just drive safely, and to all of you who need takonos why dont you just use some common sense, i am sure they were driving safely ,if you have nothing smart to say just keep it to yourself.
Baruch Dayan emes. Hamokom ynachem eschem b’soch shaar aveilei zion v’yerushalayim.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe asked of his Chassidim that when they need to drive long distances at night that they should stop every hour for fifteen minutes. This is surely a minimum.
Yesterday I heard a paramedic in a rural area say that the surest way to avoid death or serious injury in these types of crashes is to buckle up. He claims that the worst injuries accure when a passenger is ejected from the vehicle. Buckling up prevents ejection from the vehicle.
A driver should be responsible for the saftey of his passengers as is the captain of a plane or ship. Drivers should demand that their passengers remain buckled up and if they are not he or she should refuse to drive and pull of to the side of the road.
Shaffenhausen, it is not safe to drive through the night. ask a hatzalah member if this is true or not. I do not mean to cause anyone pain by any comments i write, but rather trying to prevent, chas v’shalom, more tragic occurrences in the future.
I would like to mention that this maka seems to be inflicted on all different communities. The greater Lubavitcher community is going through a similar tza’ar. Last week a bochur in LA was critically injured in a hit and run: Yisroel ben Basya, and on early Friday morning, a car with three girls overturned in South Caroline: killing one r”l and critically injuring another: Ora Meital bas Bella. The only girl uninjured (physically) was the only one wearing her seatbelt. And another boy was critically injured in Eretz Yisroel on Thurday: Alter Ahron Shmuel ben Ettel. We should all join together to daaven for these children. I would also like to mention, in reference to the comments about driving through the night – at the risk of alienating some of you readers: the Lubavitcher Rebbe often spoke that when driving at night, one must stop every hour. When there are more than one driver, they should switch off; if there is only one driver, then (s)he should rest for 15 minutes. When we follow the advice of a tzaddik, then we become a kayli for their brochos. May we all have safe and successful journeys!!!!
It has not yet beenmentioned and I fell that adults need to re-examine their priorities.
Responsible adults need to exercise caution and responsible leadership for those in their care. I suspect that most adults would not drive through the night even with more than one drive hauling a trailer of some sort. This is especially true when the objective of the trip is purely for fun and entertainment.
Why did responsible adults permit 2 young drivers who probably had little experience driving through the night and similar lack of experience in hauling a load behind their 15 passenger van, set out to drive through the night. It is hard to discount fatigue as a contributing factor in this tragic accident.
Furthermore, where have we as a commmunity gone wrong when vacation in a summer camp isn’t enouoght for our children, that they now need to be entertained (wined and dined) with distant trips to go canooing down a river. There is no mitzvah to engage is such activity and surely rest and relaxation in a summer camp is ample respite from the demands of the school year. Have parents demanded that camps send our children on overnight trips or is one camp trying to outdo the competition by giving their campers “a great time”.
I discussed this issue (prior to this camp season) with one fo the Rabbonim who sits on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and he echoed these sentiments completely.
We cannot prevent all accidents, but we must do our best to behave responsibly and avoid behavior which places us or those we are responsible for in sakonoh.
I don’t believe that Gedolei Yisroel need to make takonos to ask us to behave responsibly.
Our community needs a communal soul searching to review our excesses. How many tragedies need to occur in pursuit of unnecessary fun.
May Hashem send condolences to the Rosenblatt famly at this time of their great tragic loss.
May Hashem send a refuah shleima to the yeshiva bochurim injured in this accident.
May Hashem bless our community worldwide with good health and peace.
Liolam Yaitzai Odom Bchi Tove – means you dont leave on a trip at night because its a Sakona, recently there has been lots of scientific research on ‘sleep’ including the famous ‘promise of sleep’ book quoted often by many frum psychologists. Are we smarter than Chazal and Lihavdil modern science which shows pretty good proof that such a trip was a very dangerous one to take. No need to give the Soton opportunity.
The driver, who sustained the most serious injuries besides the Niftar A”H, is Yehoshua Hoffman of Denver. His name is Yehoshua Meshullam ben Sorah Leah.
he had the best middos i have ever seen in a person his age.
Rarely have I read such nonsense . When tragedy strikes like it does at the moment it is time for introspection rather than point the finger anyone . Not at camps not at drivers not at anyone . We all know our shortcommings and should first address them . “Lev Yodea moras nafsho” why don’t we try first to look what is wrong with us and try to rectify it rather than put ourselves on a pedestal . Why don’t we try to feel the pain that this parents feel .Let’s not be so pleased with ourselves and be greatful for all the Brochos the Ribono Shel Olam bestows upon us.Let us try to do the what is right and daven for all the broken hearted ppl .
i will have you know that contrary to what mister Bdavid thinks….The 2 young drivers DID happen to have alot of experience driving through the night…while they are just as experienced in driving a heavy trailer!!! they have been doing these kind of trips for years,many of which I’ve gone on…
And let me stress again that these “adults”, who are responsible for this wilderness camp which specializes in hiking and canoing trips,consider safety their utmost priority and would NEVER let anyone inexperienced drive the van/trailer combo ever!
Bangor Daily News
ARGYLE, Maine – Gedalia Rosenblatt was comfortable in his seat, but when a taller fellow summer camper asked him to move, the affable 15-year-old didn’t hesitate.
That Rosenblatt is dead today, and his friend suffered only scratches, likely will haunt the Orthodox Jewish passengers — 10 boys ages 14 to 18 from New York and California and two camp counselors — who survived when the 15-passenger van they were in overturned Monday on Interstate 95.
“It shows how generous he was,” accident survivor Levi Shapiro, 17, of Brooklyn, said Monday. “It shows that if your time comes, your time comes. One minute you’re here, the next you’re not.”
Yehoshua Hoffman has been one of my close friends since middle school and it is partly thanks to him that I first became exposed to the full beauty and depth of Shabbos. In seventh grade he invited me over to his home to spend a full Shabbos (what would be the first of many at his home), I fell in love with the experience and am today an aspiring frum Yid who tries to be shomer-mitzvos. Yehoshua is a true gem of a person, who learns very hard at the Mir in Jerusalem. He has an incredible smile, a playful outgoing personality, is a baal-chesed and oved-Hashem who loves learning Torah more than anything. In all of these merits, may Hashem grant my friend and our fellow Jew a refua shlaima immediately , along with the rest of these fine bochurim injured. Enough of this galus already!
–Adam, of Denver
Dear Readers, We are trying to have the complete sefer Tehillim divided up to be recited every day until Rosh Chodesh Elul. Please check out the postings under “Four Yeshiva Bochrim R”L Killed in Eretz Yisroel,” and join in. Thanks.
To #56, I think that you’re 100% correct in what you wrote.
I’ve been reading some of the comments of the incidents which have taken place in the last few weeks & while many people have some very nice idea’s &/or things to say with respect to the incident that may have occurred, however,I must say that it seems to me that many people are out to get back at someone whom they seem to differ with in their opinion. And sometimes the comments that are posted are so unfit for us frum people if I may say so myself.
People, have you forgotten of the avairah which is written in Pirkei Avos – “Hamalbin P’nei Chaveiro B’rabim Ein Lo Chelek L’Olam Habah” One who embarrasses another person in public, loses his share in the world to come. I think that this avairah is not only in a face to face encounter, but I think it can apply in these instances of posting your comments online as well where some people’s feelings are being hurt & possibly embarrassed in public where other people are able to see the comments which is posted in response to their comment. I think if everyone would learn to have a bit of sensitivty to others, half of these unnecessary comments would not be posted. This is all part of what Ahavas Yisrael is all about-not-hurting the next person…not doing that which you wouldn’t want done to yourself!
If we’d all focus & pay attention to our Ahavas Yisrael & our Shmiras Halashon in every sense of the meaning of the words, & learning to fargin the next person for that which he has & not be so jealous-maybe, maybe, some of these horrific & hair raising tragedies wouldn’t happen & hopefully it will quicken the time for when the Geulah shall come B’Ezras Hashem Yisborach!
There is no doubt that the times we live in call for introspection and reflection, especially right before the month of Elul. I side with those who call upon each and every one of us to daven and take on the change of at least one middah in the zechus of a better tomorrow. Yet I believe that there is a common error that people are making when they negate the achrayis that we all have for our safety and place the blame for tragic accidents only on the current turbulent times.
The real problem that lies in our community is the general overall acceptance that people (and their children) have that certain unsafe behaviors are actually okay. I see plenty of children riding their bikes on busy roads without helmets. As we speak, children in our community are under the care of day camps that are not currently licensed with the board of health. There are camps that allow bochurim to be lifeguards when their lifeguarding license has expired. I personally know one boy whose license expired that asked me to observe a few of his water safety skills because a camp hired him as a lifeguard and he wants to practice before he takes the job. (I told him absolutey not.) I personally know the standards of the Bethel camp and such neglectfulness would never occur there.
I spoke with a staff member today who has worked in an upstate camp for years. He told me that it is GENERALLY ACCEPTED PRACTICE IN ALL CAMPS that passengers riding in 15 passenger vans don’t wear seatbelts. That’s just the way it is. You can’t blame the camp or anyone else. This is the attitude that pervades our community.
Ironically, as I was about to submit this comment, my 17 year old daughter, who is currently attending sleepaway camp, called to say that she is returning from an all day trip to an amusement park. While I type this message, she is sitting on the floor of a bus with around 20 other girls in the aisle because there is not enough room on the seats. The bus company apparently thought it was transporting children instead of teenagers and there isn’t sufficient seating. Who’s to blame? The camp she goes to has a sterling reputation and one can imagine the balagan that would have occured if it insisted that the company send another bus. Still, perhaps this is what it should have done. It would have sent the message of safety loudly and clearly to all the campers.
The object here is not to point fingers at any one person, but rather, at an unsafe attitude that exists within our community. There is a borei olam that runs this world and we can’t add to the family’s pain by assuming that we have the answers. While we work on our own personal tikkunim, perhaps a review our attitude towards safety is also in order.
Baruch Dayan Haemes And Im Yirtzeh Hashem he should go to Gan Eden for doing a Mitzvah. May we only have Simchas Amen
בס”ד
מורי ורבותי, ladies and gentlemen;
Although the importance of davening and tikun hamidos cannot be over emphasized,
how about the following perspective. (Please read to the end to see the logic.)
(HUGE NISSIM happened here! ) Chasdei Hashem kee lo sumnu.
We know for a fact that terrorists are trying to destroy us r”l.
We know they target frum communities and shuls.
We know they target our bridges and buildings especially where there are yidden.
In short they want to inflict MASS murder r”l.
Does anyone here really attribute the fact that none of their plans materialized to the CIA/FBI Bush administration?
I am 100% positive that it your daily tefilos, maasim toivim (the beauty of klal Yisroel’s chesed in our generation), and of course torah study, and needless to mention zechus of our previous generations and tzadikim, are key factors why the reshoim have failed.
Sometimes though, Hashem takes one of our best, to save thousands.
The Medrash says that these holy neshomos offer to come down for this purpose.
Maybe we can imagine something like the following taking place bashumayim 16 years ago.
BAS-KOL: A great calamity gezeire is forseen on a yiddish community in 16 years. The boireh ohlom blessed his name wants to save his dear yidden and is asking for a pure neshomo to volunteer to go down and save many yiddin.
Silence. Then….
NISHMAS HATZADIK GEDALIA: Rebono Shel Olom! I shall go. Let my last deed be a mitzvah.
———-
Gedalia Rosenblat zt”l is born a while later.
Some 15 years later, after doing a chesed, giving a seat to a friend, his neshama returns, mission accomplished. (On the road. Maybe because he saved the GWB, so that it shouldn’t look like that bridge over the Mississippi.)
יהא זכרו ברוך
Does anyone know the condition of the other boys ?