The Moment: Issue 1100

ongregation Rodef Sholom, a 129-year-old Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at the south end of Atlantic City, New Jersey, has withstood the test of time. Since its founding over a century ago, the congregation has managed to ensure a minyan is held three times a day, every day, come what may. Winters in Atlantic City are always challenging — the tourists are scarce, the conventions are limited, and some of the year-round residents are off to Florida to enjoy the sunshine down south — yet through it all, they’ve barely missed a minyan in the past hundred-plus years. But the recent blizzard threatened to upend the congregation’s streak.

The Sunday after the storm, just nine men braved the treacherous weather to go to shul, making them one short for a minyan. Moshe Brayman, a shul member who was in the middle of the shloshim period for his father, called Jack, a friend of his and sporadic shul attendee, and encouraged him to come. When Jack told Moshe that he didn’t feel up to braving the winter storm, Moshe pushed back. Nine people wanted to daven with a minyan, and Jack was their only chance. Finally, Jack consented and showed up a few minutes later. Congregation Rodef Sholom would have its minyan after all.

One of the members of that Minchah minyan was Aryeh Leib Glancz, a chassidishe Hatzolah veteran who happened to be in Atlantic City for the day. Rabbi Glancz took one look at Jack and realized that something was amiss. When he asked him if he was feeling okay, Jack admitted that he wasn’t. Rabbi Glancz ran a few basic checks and the results confirmed what he already suspected: Jack’s pulse was dangerously erratic.

Moshe Brayman promptly helped Jack into his car, and the two sped off to the AtlantiCare Urgent Care in Somers Point, New Jersey, a short drive from the shul, where medical personnel conducted more extensive testing. Upon reviewing the results, the doctor had grim news for Jack. “Sir” he said, “you’re having a heart attack.”