Chaverim (volunteers)

Chaverim (Hebrew: חברים‎, literally, "friends"), also spelled Chaveirim, is an umbrella name for Orthodox Jewish volunteer organizations on the East Coast of the United States which provide road assistance and other non-medical emergency help at home or on the road. All services are free. The organizations are supported by local donations.^[1]

History

Chaverim was started in Brooklyn, New York by Aaron Yitzchok Cohen and others following the September 11 attacks. The grassroots organization opened a hotline to assist stranded motorists and elderly and handicapped individuals. Since its founding, the Boro Park Chaverim has logged over 100,000 calls, with hundreds of calls received daily.^[2]

Activities

Chaverim volunteers respond to calls at any hour^[3] and perform the following duties:

• Assist people locked out of their home or vehicle^[3][4][5]
• Repair flat tires^[6][3] and pump low tires^[1]
• Boost car batteries^[3][5]
• Assist cars stuck in snow, mud, etc.^[7][5][1][8]
• Give rides to motorists whose cars are disabled^[3]
• Transport families to weddings during snowstorms^[9]
• Give directions for those in unfamiliar areas
• Obtain gas if someone's gas tank runs dry^[2][5][1]
• Assist with burst pipes^[10]
• Assist with loss of essential services such as gas, electric, water, or telephone^[10]
• Provide members for a shiva minyan^[5][1]

Car inspections

Chaverim of Boro Park provides free 10-minute safety inspections of vehicles prior to the August summer vacation period to draw drivers' attention to safety issues with their cars.^[11] Free inspections of tire pressure, blinkers, fluids, spare tire, and other car needs are also offered before the summer vacation by the Lakewood Chaverim.^[12]

Holiday assistance

In 2010 Chaverim of Queens initiated a "Don't Drink and Drive Campaign" on Purim which provided drivers to take home inebriated residents.^[13]

Awards

In July 2008 the Lakewood Chaveirim were the recipients of a state resolution presented by New Jersey Senator Robert Singer.^[14] In July 2011 the same group was given a special award for community service by the Lakewood Police Department. Police Chief Rob Lawson cited the group's help during a blackout when members volunteered to direct traffic at intersections, as well as their assistance to people locked out of their cars or homes.^[15]

Collaborative efforts

Chaverim volunteers often work together with those of the Shomrim and Hatzalah organizations to assist residents during crippling weather events,^[16][17] and missing persons searches.^[3][18][19]

In 2011 Brooklyn City Councilman David Greenfield announced a partnership with Boro Park Chaverim to identify potholes in Flatbush and Midwood after severe winter weather in 2010.^[20]

Many Chaverim volunteers are professional tradesmen who donate their professional skills to provide emergency assistance.^{[citation needed]}

Locations

Chaverim organizations are located in:

• Brooklyn (including Boro Park, Seagate, Williamsburg, and Flatbush, and The Catskills)^[21]
• Queens^[3][22]
• Five Towns and Far Rockaway^[23]
• Rockland County (Monsey)^[24]
• Lakewood, New Jersey^[25]
• Passaic, New Jersey^[26]
• Teaneck, New Jersey^[27]
• Jersey Shore^[28]
• Baltimore^[29][30]
• Miami^[31]
• Montreal^[32]

Spin-offs

Yedidim, an independent offshoot of New York's Chaverim, operates in Israel with 1,500 volunteers. This volunteer group responds to calls to jumpstart cars, change flat tires, fix home plumbing and electrical problems, and any other non-medical request.^[10][33]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Information". Chaverim of Baltimore. http://chaverimofbaltimore.org/information. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "VIDEO: Even NYPD Call Chaveirim For A Boost". Yeshiva World News. 1 April 2011. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=88609. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Chaverim of Queens Celebrates First Anniversary". The Jewish Press. 4 February 2009. http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/38063/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
4. ^ Buiso, Gary (30 July 2011). "Kosher Pork: Jewish Groups Rake It In". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/kosher_pork_jewish_groups_rake_it_mcVncFGijaR0nTMuYBRe3O#ixzz1Tgkkhc4k. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} "What Chaverim Offers". Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. http://chaverim5t.org/pages/WhatChaverimOffers. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
6. ^ Beyer, Gregory (8 October 2010). "Living In Borough Park, Brooklyn". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/realestate/10living.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
7. ^ "Chaveirim Members Pull Member Out Of Mud (video)". The Lakewood Scoop. You Tube. 13 December 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9fvJoO2vyY. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
8. ^ "Chaveirim Receives Over 650 Calls During Storm". The Lakewood Scoop. 14 February 2010. http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2010/02/chaveirim-receives-over-650-calls-during-storm.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
9. ^ "Chaveirim Swamped With Calls – Transport Residents To & From Weddings". The Lakewood Scoop. 26 December 2010. http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2010/12/chaveirim-swamped-with-calls-transport-residents-to-from-weddings.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} "Volunteers to the Rescue", Binah Bunch, 1 June 2009, p. 6.
11. ^ "Chaveirim Of Boro Park & Williamsburg Inspect Hundreds Of Vehicles". Yeshiva World News. 2009-06-15. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=35642. Retrieved 2010-03-31. 
12. ^ "Lakewood Chaveirim Third Annual Free Automobile Safety Inspections". matzav.com. 11 July 2010. http://matzav.com/lakewood-chaveirim-third-annual-free-automobile-safety-inspections. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
13. ^ "Chaverim Of Queens Gears Up For This Years Purim ‘Don’t Drink & Drive Campaign’". Yeshiva World News. 14 March 2011. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/Human+Interest/86965/Chaverim+Of+Queens+Gears+Up+For+This+Years+Purim+'Don't+Drink+&+Drive+Campaign'.html. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
14. ^ "VIDEO & PHOTOS: YWN Video Prompts Award to Lakewood Chaverim". Yeshiva World News. 11 July 2008. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=20915. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
15. ^ "Video, Photos: Lakewood Chaverim Recognized at Police Awards Ceremony". matzav.com. 29 July 2011. http://matzav.com/video-photos-lakewood-chaverim-recognized-at-police-awards-ceremony. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
16. ^ "New York – Community Alert: SUV Hotline Set Up By Chaveirim/Hatzalah/Shomrim". Vosizneias. 28 November 2010. http://www.vosizneias.com/72096/2010/12/28/new-york-community-alert-suv-hotline-set-up-by-chaveirimhatzalah/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
17. ^ "PHOTOS: Baltimore Hatzalah, Shomrim & Chaverim Work Through Blizzard". Yeshiva World News. 10 February 2010. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=47977. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
18. ^ Tannenbaum, Rabbi Gershon (20 July 2011). "Leiby Kletzky (2002–2011)". The Jewish Press. http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/49093. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
19. ^ "Large Search for Missing Boy in Lakewood". matzav.com. 17 November 2010. http://matzav.com/large-search-for-missing-boy-in-lakewood. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
20. ^ "Brooklyn, NY - Greenfield Teams With Chaveirim To Battle Potholes‏". Vosizneias. 12 April 2011. http://www.vosizneias.com/80756/2011/04/12/brooklyn-ny-greenfield-teams-with-chaveirim-to-battle-potholes%E2%80%8F/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
21. ^ "Chaveirim of Boro Park, Williamsburg, Flatbush & Catskills". chaveirim.org. http://chaveirim.org. Retrieved 15 August 2010. 
22. ^ "Queens Gemach Network". Queens Realtor Team. http://www.queensrealtorteam.com/queens-gemach-netwk.asp. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
23. ^ "Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway". Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. http://chaverim5t.org/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
24. ^ "{PHOTOS, VIDEO}Monsey-NY, Residents On The Edge As More Storms Forecasted For Today". Yiddish Nayes. 24 June 2011. http://yiddishnayes.com/index.php?event=detail&blog_id=5245. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
25. ^ Amdurski, Noam (5 November 2009). "Important Message from Lakewood Chaveirim Regarding GSP Exit Closure Tomorrow". matzav.com. http://matzav.com/important-message-from-lakewood-chaveirim-regarding-gsp-exit-closure-tomorrow. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
26. ^ "Passaic Chaverim". Passaic Chaverim. http://www.passaicchaverim.org/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
27. ^ "Photos – New Chaverim Of Teaneck NJ Being Trained By Chaverim In Monsey". Yiddish Nayes. http://yiddishnayes.com/index.php?event=gallerydesc&galid=115&eventname=New%20Chaverim%20Of%20Teaneck%20NJ%20Being%20Trained%20By%20Chaverim%20In%20Monsey. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
28. ^ "The Jersey Shore Chaverim Volunteer Emergency Assistance". Jersey Shore Chaverim. http://www.thechaverim.com. Retrieved 10 August 2010. 
29. ^ "Chaverim of Baltimore". chaverimofbaltimore.org. 2010. http://chaverimofbaltimore.org. Retrieved 15 August 2010. 
30. ^ "One Number to Reach Our Local Organizations: Hatzalah, Shomrim, Chaverim and many more". Baltimore Jewish Life. http://baltimorejewishlife.com/pdfs/ONE_WWW_ad.pdf. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
31. ^ "Miami-Dade Chaverim". http://www.wix.com/slrpro1/mdc/directory#!__directory. Retrieved 10 August 2010. 
32. ^ "Chaverim of Montreal–Tosh–Laurentians". chaverim.ca. http://chaverim.ca/. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
33. ^ Yedidim. ערוץ - חדשות ידידים (TV news). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDEbi7gOASM: Channel 2 (Israel). (Hebrew)

External links

• Chaveirim Demonstration Removing and Plugging Tire (video)
• Lakewood Police Department Awards Ceremony and Promotions Chaveirim Award (video)
• "Lakewood Gym Sponsors Evening Of Relaxation For Chaveirim Members"
• Chaverim Stories