A medical emergency during prayer services at a Chabad synagogue in Kiryat Malachi, a city in southern Israel, ended with a life saved and an emotional reunion last week.
Six weeks ago, Roni Nakash suddenly collapsed while praying at the Chabad synagogue in the Nachalat Har Chabad neighborhood of Kiryat Malachi. He had gone into cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating.
Among those praying at the same synagogue was Elnadiv Tam, a volunteer medic with United Hatzalah, Israel's volunteer-based emergency medical service. Security camera footage captured the dramatic moments: the instant Elnadiv noticed Roni collapsing, he sprang into action without hesitation.
Elnadiv jumped from his seat, rushed toward Roni, and simultaneously pulled out his United Hatzalah radio to alert emergency services. He immediately began resuscitation efforts, using a defibrillator provided by United Hatzalah. Within minutes, additional United Hatzalah volunteers arrived and joined the intensive resuscitation efforts.
Miraculously, Roni's heart resumed beating. Even more remarkably, he regained full consciousness and began speaking with the medics who had saved his life. He was then evacuated to hospital in stable condition. Elnadiv's rapid response—recognizing the collapse, immediately beginning resuscitation, and quickly deploying the defibrillatorm proved critical to saving Roni's life.
But the story didn't end there.
Last week, when Elnadiv celebrated his son's wedding, a special guest arrived to surprise and move him- Roni.
