When a beloved individual in the Crown Heights Jewish community had a heart attack during a Jewish holiday in 1976, the ambulance arrived too late to save his life. The tragedy gave birth to a volunteer ambulance group, Chevrah Hatzalah, which in Hebrew literally means rescue team.
The first ambulance was purchased by the founder of the Brooklyn rescue team, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Bistritzky. The van was parked outside of Lubavitch World Headquarters. Although, at the time that was a central location in the community, it also got them in trouble.
The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, sent a message to Rabbi Bistritzky instructing him to remove the caduceus from the Hatzalah logo. The Rebbe explained that the Greek symbol is sourced in idolatry should not be used. It was immediately removed and later replaced with a heart that has been adopted by many of the Jewish volunteer groups.
Read More: @ crownheights.info
You might also like: