Monsey Community Establishes Committee of Dayanim to Answer for Emergency Response Volunteers

By Hamodia Staff

The Rabbanim of Chassidish communities in Monsey have established a Vaad of Dayanim to be available to respond to shailos which may arise from the many volunteers who respond to emergencies in the area.

While emergency services in metropolitan areas like New York City are generally serviced and funded by the municipality, smaller cities and towns outside city limits are manned by volunteers. Each fire department in these areas have five elected commissioners who oversee the fire district, which may consist of one or multiple companies.

In the Monsey district, the overwhelming majority of the population are chassidim for whom Yiddish is their first language, and most of the firefighters are Orthodox Jews as well.

The fact that many residents use Yiddish as their first language was recognized by the elected commissioner, and a while back it was decided to implement a supplemental dispatch system.

While residents in need to contact the fire department may call 911 in an emergency and will be patched through to county dispatch system, a new program was implemented in conjunction with the county in which Yiddish speaking volunteers would take calls from Yiddish speaking callers, and then put it out on the Monsey Fire Dept radio system.

Although most fire departments outside of New York City do not have radios for random members, the Monsey Fire Department worked with the Jewish community to create a radio system to communicate efficiently in order to respond to calls.

Harav Rabbi Chaim Schabbes is the main Jewish chaplain for the firefighters, and he has been officially retained by the District 18 several months ago to serve as a guide for members who want his guidance and support.

Beginning in June, Gedolei Harabbanim of the chassidish community in Monsey have established a Vaad of Dayanim to be available for volunteers in all divisions of emergency services, whether EMS or the fire dept, to answer shailos which may arise.

“Many of the volunteers want to ask their shailos to a Dayan of similar community,” a volunteer told Hamodia, “and the establishment of this Vaad of Dayanim on Tuesday, June 3, allows them to ask their shailos their effortlessly.”