"Wrapped in a Tallit, I stood five hours on the roof of the truck, freezing"
Rabbi Meir Ber Schwartz, a resident of Seagate who was washed up by the waves when he was trapped in his car, in an exclusive interview with B'Chadrei Charedim how he survived the difficult situation, what kept him warm and how he was rescued
- Yoel Bitelman, B'Chadrei Charedim
- ט"ז חשון התשע"ג
Jewish New York residents followed anxiously the last day's rescue events to save Rabbi Meir Ber Schwartz from drowning.
The event began yesterday (Monday) afternoon, when Meyer Ber Schwartz, a Jewish elderly man, returned to his home in the Seagate neighborhood, located on the beach in Brooklyn. Schwartz parked near his house, when a wave of water flooded and shook his car.
The water increased, Rabbi Meir immediately called the Hatzalah rescue center - and asked for help. When the water had filled the car, Rabbi Meir decided to take a risk and open the car door.
In a moving interview Rabbi Meir tells B'Chadrei Charedim: "I felt like that was it - I was going to drown. In the last minute I caught my tallit and tefillin which were in the car, I pushed hard on the driver's door and went outside, in an attempt to try to push my way through the water into the house. A surge of water pushed me, but with inhuman strengths and Hashem's help I suddenly noticed a garbage truck parked right behind my car.
"I started to make my way toward the truck, and thank G-d I managed to climb on the roof. I stood there, shaking with cold, exposed to strong winds and clung to the truck with all my might. Luckily I had a cell phone in my pocket, so I was able to inform people of the situation. My son immediately notified the rescue forces and 'Hatzalah' and 'Chaveirim'. The rescue forces promised to send a rescue vehicle, and in the meantime at the entrance to the neighborhood about 15 volunteers gathered and decided to create a human chain, holding on to each other, and moving through the water towards me.
"The team managed to get into the neighborhood, but soon had to give up the idea. Meanwhile, I felt that my strength was leaving me and I was shivering. My son who was with me all the time on the phone advised me to take the tallit and wrap it around me, and thus keeps my body temperature - and indeed it was a good idea."
Rabbi Meir continues: "Dozens of volunteers called me and tried to cheer me up, but the phone battery was towards the end and I was exhausted. Only after five hours of standing on the roof of the truck in the cold and winds of 120 mph, the rescue truck arrived, a tractor with huge wheels, rescued me and brought me into the parking lot - a place of safety. "
Rabbi Meir ends his emotional gratitude to Hashem, and hundreds of anxious people who prayed for his safety.
The event began yesterday (Monday) afternoon, when Meyer Ber Schwartz, a Jewish elderly man, returned to his home in the Seagate neighborhood, located on the beach in Brooklyn. Schwartz parked near his house, when a wave of water flooded and shook his car.
The water increased, Rabbi Meir immediately called the Hatzalah rescue center - and asked for help. When the water had filled the car, Rabbi Meir decided to take a risk and open the car door.
In a moving interview Rabbi Meir tells B'Chadrei Charedim: "I felt like that was it - I was going to drown. In the last minute I caught my tallit and tefillin which were in the car, I pushed hard on the driver's door and went outside, in an attempt to try to push my way through the water into the house. A surge of water pushed me, but with inhuman strengths and Hashem's help I suddenly noticed a garbage truck parked right behind my car.
"I started to make my way toward the truck, and thank G-d I managed to climb on the roof. I stood there, shaking with cold, exposed to strong winds and clung to the truck with all my might. Luckily I had a cell phone in my pocket, so I was able to inform people of the situation. My son immediately notified the rescue forces and 'Hatzalah' and 'Chaveirim'. The rescue forces promised to send a rescue vehicle, and in the meantime at the entrance to the neighborhood about 15 volunteers gathered and decided to create a human chain, holding on to each other, and moving through the water towards me.
"The team managed to get into the neighborhood, but soon had to give up the idea. Meanwhile, I felt that my strength was leaving me and I was shivering. My son who was with me all the time on the phone advised me to take the tallit and wrap it around me, and thus keeps my body temperature - and indeed it was a good idea."
Rabbi Meir continues: "Dozens of volunteers called me and tried to cheer me up, but the phone battery was towards the end and I was exhausted. Only after five hours of standing on the roof of the truck in the cold and winds of 120 mph, the rescue truck arrived, a tractor with huge wheels, rescued me and brought me into the parking lot - a place of safety. "
Rabbi Meir ends his emotional gratitude to Hashem, and hundreds of anxious people who prayed for his safety.
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