Community Magazine Februafy 2009

48 Community magazine F IRST THERE WAS A LOUD BANG , then a scream, and then lots of shouting. Thirteen-year-old Marc, who was on his way to school that morning, raced to the scene of the accident. By the time Marc arrived, a crowd of people had assembled around the body of a woman lying on the asphalt in a pool of blood. She was hemorrhaging, but none of the people standing there had any idea what to do – other than pray with all their hearts that the ambulance would arrive before it was too late. But Marc, who had just completed a first aid course, knew exactly what to do. He quickly got down to his knees to examine to the woman, and saw a steady stream of blood flowing from a deep neck wound. Without flinching, Marc administered treat- ment precisely as he had learned in the course. With the help of Hashem and Marc’s training, the bleeding was soon under control. Before transporting the woman to Tel HaShomer Hospital, the ambulance crew told Marc that his quick thinking had saved the woman’s life. The hospital emergency staff similarly reiterated to the woman’s family that she was alive thanks to the first aid administered at the scene of the accident. Two days later Marc came to visit the woman, Leah, in the hospital. Leah thanked Marc profusely for his role in saving her life, and asked where he had studied first aid. Marc told her about the course he had taken, adding that he loved medicine and looked forward to a career as a physician. Leah then noticed a scar on Marc’s upper lip. She asked about the scar, and Marc explained that he had been born with a cleft lip that had been repaired with plastic surgery, which left a small scar. Suddenly, Leah suspected that she and Marc may have actu- ally “met” once before as she related a story she recalled from many years ago: I volunteer for Efrat, the organization dedicated to preserving future life. A little over thirteen years ago, the organization referred to me a woman who was pregnant with a baby that had a cleft lip. I went to speak with the woman on Friday afternoon. We spoke for close to an hour, but she remained determined to do what she viewed as her only option. She felt she could not possibly take on such a challenge as raising a deformed child. The procedure was already scheduled for the following day, Shabbat morning. As the time for candle-lighting approached, I left. I referred the case to Efrat’s chairman, Dr. Schussheim. I thought about this woman the entire Shabbat, and immediately after havdala, I contacted Dr. Schussheim to hear what had happened. He said he had a very long telephone conversation with the woman but could not convince her to change her mind. As this was a matter of piku’ah nefesh – saving a Jewish life – he continued the conversation into Shabbat 1 . He deemed this not only permissible – but an obligation! Finally, he managed only to convince her to delay the pro- cedure and come to his office on Sunday to review the relevant medical literature and view pictures of children who had undergone corrective surgery. In the end, Baruch Hashem, she decided to continue the pregnancy. Today, that baby would be your age. Marc listened openmouthed, feeling chills running up and down his spine. He confirmed hearing from his mother that his life had been saved thanks to Dr. Schussheim and Efrat. Marc described the sense of appreciation his mother felt toward Dr. Schussheim and Efrat for convincing her to bring such a wonderful blessing into her life. Marc also noted that the influence of Dr. Schussheim and Efrat led his parents to gradually become religiously observant. The excitement in the room was tangible. The following day Marc came with his mother to visit Leah, and the two women cried from emotion as they embraced. Marc’s mother thanked Leah for her part in helping her bring a wonderful son into the world, and Leah thanked Marc’s mother for raising such a responsible young man who was both willing and able to take action and save her life. Today, Marc’s mother is also an Efrat volunteer. Her personal experience enables her to speak to the hearts of women facing the situation she had confronted, and help them make the same courageous decision she had made. This year, thanks to Efrat, over 4,000 babies are alive! To become a partner in saving Jewish children visit Efrat’s secure site at www.efrat.info, or call 732-367-4573. 1 Dr. Schussheim later asked Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, she- lita, if he had done the right thing by continuing the conversation on Shabbat. Rav Elyashiv ruled that he indeed acted correctly, as saving a life overrides the Shabbat prohibitions Your Stories of Everyday Miracles Full Circle