Just five minutes. That’s all the time Hatzola, the volunteer ambulance service, had to reach Yossi and Esti Glass when their one-week-old daughter, Aliza, began choking. The frantic call from the parents pierced the December darkness, a desperate plea for help.
Esti remembers the horror vividly: Aliza’s face turning blue, foam at the mouth, a terrifying struggle for each breath. While Rabbi Schochet, Aliza’s grandfather, instinctively began administering mouth-to-mouth, Yossi and Esti’s world narrowed to the agonizing seconds ticking by until help arrived.
The arriving Hatzola responder immediately took over rescue breaths, stabilizing the infant until an ambulance could rush her to a north London hospital. Remarkably, that very ambulance was new, recently added to the fleet thanks to a fundraising drive organized by Rabbi Schochet’s synagogue – a poignant detail lost on no one.
At the hospital, a dedicated Hatzola team waited with Esti and Yossi, offering support as doctors worked to ensure Aliza’s recovery. Later, the family learned the swift response and expert care had saved their daughter’s life. “I am forever grateful to Hatzola,” Esti shared, her voice filled with emotion. “They are angels.”
The gratitude felt by the Glass family now clashes sharply with a recent, devastating act of hatred. Just weeks ago, four Hatzola ambulances were deliberately set ablaze in an antisemitic attack outside a synagogue in Golders Green. The charred remains stand as a stark symbol of the animosity faced by the community.
The attack, described by faith leaders as a “war on humanity,” targeted a service dedicated to providing free emergency care. Footage revealed three hooded figures igniting the vehicles, potentially using accelerant, and causing damage to the nearby synagogue as well. The deliberate nature of the arson sent shockwaves through the community.
Despite the pain and fear, a remarkable outpouring of support has followed. Within hours, over half a million pounds was donated to Hatzola NW, demonstrating a powerful resolve to overcome hatred. The London Ambulance Service has also pledged temporary replacements, and the government has committed to funding permanent replacements for the destroyed vehicles.
Rabbi Schochet, deeply affected by the attack, called it “terrorism, plain and simple.” He emphasized the vital role Hatzola plays in Jewish communities worldwide, and the dangerous consequences of tolerating antisemitism. “We should be protected,” he stated, “Enough is enough.”
The attack serves as a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of communities and the urgent need to confront hatred in all its forms. It is a story of a life saved, and a service targeted, highlighting both the best and worst of humanity.
