On Sunday afternoon, a Chareidi man nearly drowned at Gils beach in Ashdod after he rushed into the water to save his children who were struggling and about to drown. The children were caught in an undertow and being swept out to the ocean and were unable to return to the beach safely. The father managed to rescue the children, but then got pulled out to the sea himself.
Volunteers from United Hatzalah and ambulance teams from Magen David Adom responded to the emergency after they were called to the scene by onlookers who witnessed the incident. The man was rescued and brought to the beach where he was treated for partially drowning before being taken to Assuta Hospital in the city.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Eliyahu Shein who was spending time at the beach with his family was the first responder at the scene. Shein relayed: “I was spending time with my family at the beach when I heard screams for help. I was told that a father had run into the water in order to save his children who had begun to drown. The children were rescued without injury but the father had drowned and needed assistance including oxygen. Together with other volunteers who responded, I treated him at the scene before he was transported to the hospital in moderate condition.”
The beach is currently closed and there are no lifeguards on duty there.
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11 Responses
Thank God all are alive and well.
Responsible parents do not allow entering the water without an active life-guard station nearby.
Baruch Hashem they are all okay!
Please follow up on this story with a report of the father being charged, convicted and jailed. In the meantime let us hear that Child Protection have moved the children to a foster family.
no life guards? do NOT swim!
DO NOT go to beaches that are closed and without lifeguards. It is as treif as eating pig, and poor chinuch to our children. The article does a disservice by linking Chareidim and Hatzalah volunteers to this dangerous, selfish and anti Torah activity. Unfortunately the message you are sending is that it is ok to engage in this and you will be saved , so its no big deal. The father should be brought up on child abuse charges. He should not be given Aliyahs to the Torah and the message has to be clear to all NOT to swim where it isnt safe. Please . This is not a mistake or an accident but dangerous behavior that must be stopped.
How many times must we say this?
Stop going to the beach!!!
At least B”H the father made it out alive otherwise the community would likely have been faced with another appeal to help save an almona and yesomim. People who are irresponsible in one area, such as letting their children go in the sea without proper supervision are likely to be irresponsible in not having life insurance as well. The comments here, mine included , may sound harsh but we have to somehow wake up the criminals in our community.
I am not justifying but the facts are that beaches with lifeguards attract crowds and are inappropriate for a frum person to attend. So if a frum person wants to go to a beach, there is no choice but a beach that is unattended by people and lifeguards. Unfortunately this brings dangers. Remember those holy men who drowned when they were at places with no mikveh.
y2r, Israel has had repeated heat waves of over 100′ and with people in tiny,crowded apartments, no camps because of the virus they need some relief.The government should have anticipated this and set up more lifeguarded beaches for frum jews.
Rebbetzen G you are 100% wrong, there are separate swimming beaches available. They chose this one.
Docelisheva, blaming the government is ridiculous. The government CLOSED beaches like this one due to lack of safety.
rational, responsible parents wont rake their beloved children to beaches that are closed..
The Father believed that it was safe. After all everyone was doing it, even Hatzolah volunteers.
Ohevet Yishmael, true there are separate beaches available but (1) not near them; (2) separate is still not private enough for Ben Torah; (3) that means the family is separated.