MARCH 16 • 2023 | 15

H

atzalah MI has come a long way in the five 
years since it’s been in operation, and its 
leaders expect to even go further in the years 
ahead.
Hatzalah is a team of state-certified Emergency 
Medical Services (EMS) volunteer responders in the 
Orthodox community who stand at the ready 24-7 to 
respond to local emergencies in Oak Park, Southfield 
and Huntington Woods. It partners with the Oakland 
County Medical Control Authority (OCMCA), the 
Southfield Fire Department, Oak Park Public Safety 
and Alliance Mobile Health.
The first Hatzalah began in 
Brooklyn, N.Y., by Rabbi Hershel 
Weber in the late 1960s. Today, 
it is the largest volunteer EMS 
service in the United States, with 
more than 2,000 volunteer EMTs, 
as well as dozens of branches 
throughout the world.
Because Hatzalah volunteers are 
embedded within the community, 
they can often reach the person 
who needs help in less than 2 
minutes. Having such a quick 
response can be all the difference 
in life-threatening situations 
where seconds can mean the dif-
ference between life and death.
“When we began, our agree-
ment with the municipalities was 
to be a first response agency only 
with no transport” said Nachy 
Soloff, a trained paramedic, busi-
nessman by trade and leader of 
Hatzalah by vocation. “They went 
from not knowing who we were — these guys coming 
in, starting something that they’
d never heard of — 
to recognizing the value we add to the community. 
Having realized the benefits of Hatzalah, they are now 
encouraging us to expand as much as we can.
” 
As per their agreement with Oak Park and 
Southfield, when a call comes in, the Hatzalah dis-
patcher calls 911 immediately and municipal ambu-
lances meet the volunteer EMTs at the scene. While 
Hatzalah volunteers can handle nearly any medical 
emergency, they cannot transport people to the hos-
pital — although they will meet them there to provide 
support and comfort.
“
About six months ago, our municipal partners 
asked us why we weren’t doing transport to the hospi-
tal,
” Soloff said. “Our answer was ‘because we didn’t 
think you wanted us to.
’”
It turns out that they do. EMS services throughout 
the country are besieged by problems of low retention, 
declining recruitment and inadequate funding. “They 
recognize it’s something that would only be a benefit 
to the citizens of the cities,
” Soloff said. “They know 

they’ll have someone else they can turn to 
for help.
”
Over the years, the volunteers at 
Hatzalah have built strong relationships 
with municipal personnel. “Our relation-
ship with Southfield and Oak Park Public 
Safety has really come a long way,
” said 
volunteer EMT Moshe Davis. “Many of us 
are on first-name basis with some of the 
firefighters or police officers. It’s something 
that we’re very proud of, these personal 
relationships. They know me, they see me 
and they’re comfortable with my skills and 
they trust me.
”
Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee 
says the collaboration between Hatzalah 
and his department has been good. “The 
growth of learning about the community’s 
culture and traditions has been very 
helpful,” he said. “Hatzalah has been a 
great partner. I’m all on board.”

TOP: Rendering of the new 
ambulance. ABOVE: Asher 
Sigler and Nachy Soloff both 
from Southfield look over the 
rendering of the new ambulance 
they will be acquiring. 

continued on page 16

