Hasidic Jewish men save Arab woman’s life on flight to New York

Two ultra-orthodox men – trained emergency medics-  on board a flight from Tel Aviv to New York this week saved the life of an Arab woman.

Jew in the City, a site that aims to break down negative stereotypes about orthodox Judaism, reported on an episode this week in which two Hasidic men, trained as medics, likely saved the life of a female Arab passenger traveling on the same flight from Tel Aviv to New York’s JFK airport.

Beirish Shonbrun and Avraham Meir Miller are residents of Kiryas Joel, a village within the town of Monroe in Orange County, New York, where most residents are members of the Satmar hasidic sect. They responded to an announcement made, halfway through the 10-hour flight, that a woman was unwell and collapsed on her way to the plane’s rear galley, seeking help from a flight attendant.

The crew was searching for anyone with medical training for assistance.

“I had my kit and licenses with me. Even though there was a doctor on the plane, he didn’t have his ID and so they had me help,” Shonbrum recalled.

Shonbrun managed to revive the woman, an Arab, who was initially unresponsive. They then proceeded to communicate through a hijab-wearing translator.

“The pilot asked if we needed to make an emergency landing, but by that time, she felt much better. We were able to avoid it,” Shonbrun told a Jew in the City reporter, adding that before returning to their seats, they told the woman and staff to let them know if their help would be needed again.

According to the report, Shonbrun was “very humble about the whole experience.”

“I became an EMT when I was young. In addition to my businesses in contracting and in roofing and siding… I try to help people all day.”

It was a nice kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God’s name),” he said. “A man came up to me and told me that he never saw anything like this,” having been exposed to widespread negative reporting about his community based on incidents involving a small minority of its members.

By: World Israel News Staff

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