A U.S. Jewish Marine, who grew up Chabad, was R”L killed in a serious car accident in California this week. Menachem Mendel Goldbloom Z”L was seriously injured in the car accident that occured on Sunday (Hoshana Rabba). His was R”L Niftar on Monday morning on Shmini Atzeres. Menachem grew up in the Chabad neighborhood of Chicago.

Friends of Menachem told CoLlive that Menachem was beloved by all who knew him. He was served in the U.S. Marine corps. and was presented with The National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Two other marines were injured in the accident and the trio was airlifted by helicopter to the nearest hospital. The two other soldiers are in stable condition.

The Levaya is being held on Thursday morning in Chicago at Chicago Jewish Funerals, Skokie Chapels, on Skokie Boulevard. The Kevura will be at Waldheim Jewish Cemetery.

Menachem’s father Aryeh Goldbloom wrote on Facebook: “Monday evening at 7:23 pm California time my son Mendel died in a car crash from an accidental swerving on-coming car from the other side of the road while serving as a marine. Let me tell you a bit about him: He loved to joke, to climb tall buildings, parkour, unicycling, and connecting with strangers. Mendel used to dance in Times Square in a chicken costume to make money, he went to EMT school, became a Marine, and everywhere he went people fell in love with his open kindness. Mendel had that independent kind of spirit- he didn’t like authority or school, and he always calmly did what he wanted, and what he thought was right. His family and friends love him so much and feel so heartbroken that he will not be able to move through the rest of our lives with us. I know Mendel continues to adventure on and find love and happiness in the world to come. He made each individual he was with feel special and loved and accepted for who he or she was. And that was the most special thing I looked up to Mendel for and I will do my best in his memory to pass on as his legacy.”

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