Good Samaritan Hospital Holds Fifth Annual Public Menorah Lighting
Good Samaritan Hospital held its fifth annual Public Menorah lighting earlier this evening at the hospital in Suffern.
The event was attended by Rockland County elected, including Congressman Mike Lawler and Assemblyman John McGowan among others, community leaders, and the general community. The evening's speakers included the Assemblyman, Congressman Mike Lawler, Supervisor Michael Specht, Senator Bill Weber, Legislator Aron Wieder, Meyer Tauber, Matrix Realty, and Lance Millman, Montebello mayor. Miri Ben Ami, mother of Yosef Ohana, who is being held hostage in Gaza, addressed attendees as well.
Attendees included staff from the Rockland County DA office, Legislators Joel Friedman and Jesse Malowitz, Chestnut Ridge Deputy Mayor Chaim Rose, Village of Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Yisroel Eisenbach, line officers from Faist Ambulance Corporation, Yanky Fleigman, and Sruly Klein, and members from the organization Save Soldiers Lives, including Gidon Hazony, a paramedic who saved lives during the October 7 massacre.
The welcoming speech was delivered by Dr. Susan Evelyn, RSM. Dr. Mary Leahy, Good Samaritan CEO. A bracha was given by Rabbi Shmuel Gancz, Rockland Chabad.
"Chanukah commemorates how the powerful Seleucid empire thousands of years ago wanted to force the Jews to give up their religion and traditions and disappear as a people," Supervisor Specht said as he addressed attendees, "how the Maccabees led the Jews in a successful revolt and rededicated the Temple so that now today thousands of years later Jews around the world are lighting the menorah while it is the Seleucid Empire that has disappeared," "While in this time of raging antisemitism, Jews are under attack in Israel, Europe and even here in the United States, on city streets and college campuses, we also know that thousands of years from now the Jewish people will continue to light our menorahs and stand together."
The supervisor then thanked Dr. Mary P. Leahy, Good Samaritan Hospital's CEO, and Good Samaritan Hospital for hosting the event and making Good Samaritan Hospital a warm, safe, and welcoming place for everyone.
"No words can describe a mother's pain," Legislator Aron Wieder said, "when at every minute of the day she thinks about her son who is in an underground tunnel captured by vicious animals... Chanukah teaches us that it is in the darkest places, when all hope seems to be lost, that miracles happen. All it takes is faith, hope, and a tiny flicker of light, and miracles happen."
"I was honored to be able to attend and speak at the Good Samaritan menorah lighting on Sunday afternoon," Senator Bill Weber shares exclusively with Rockland Daily. "I met Miri Ben Ami, the Mom of Yosef Ohana. Yosef was kidnapped from Israel to Gaza by Hamas, who is holding him hostage. Let the lights burn bright and overcome darkness during this Chanukah, and may Yosef be freed from captivity."
The lighting of the menorah was done by Dr. RIchard M. Evans, MD, FACS VP of Surgical Services, and Rabbi Judah Herbst, GSH chaplain, gave the closing blessing.
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