When there’s trouble on the tracks, transit workers turn to police, firefighters, paramedics — and The Rabbi.
There’s no need for his full name. Anyone who has operated a train, welded rails or directed traffic from a radio tower in the last three decades probably knows Rabbi Harry Berkowitz.
The 65-year-old has been a subway chaplain for 34 years. He started ministering to the men and women of the transit police force, whose trust he earned by spending midnight shifts going on patrol with them in stations and on trains.
For the past two decades, Berkowitz has been head chaplain for NYC Transit, leading a God squad of ministers who provide emotional and spiritual support to transit workers during trying times.
“Within 15 minutes of a traumatic event, they call me,” Berkowitz said last week after visiting a motorman in a Manhattan hospital.
The motorman was taken to an emergency room for trauma after a “12-9” — subway code for when a train hits someone. The motorman was entering the 42nd St. subway complex when the man jumped from the platform.
End of story for the jumper. The beginning of a psychological struggle for the motorman.
If the crew is still on the scene, Berkowitz will find a quiet place to sit and talk. Usually, that’s an empty car on the train, away from the first responders — and the deceased.
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Yasher Koach Rabbi Berkowitz, now have the Mta install steel walls infront of the train platforms and your job will become alittle easier. I see millions of people taking trains, buses, and bridges everyday- the MTA should have earmarked for this before their last rate hike- which we know is going to pay for abnormal salaries and pensions.