A horrific tragedy unfolded early Friday morning in Lakewood, when a vehicle carrying five bochurim crashed on Hope Chapel between Clearstream and New Central, tragically resulting in the petirah of two of the occupants.
Preliminary reports indicate that the vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, was traveling along Hope Chapel Road when it struck a deer, causing the driver to lose control. The minivan then veered off the roadway and crashed into a tree.
A passerby who came upon the harrowing scene reportedly called 911 at 4:39 am. Emergency services were dispatched, with Hatzolah being called in for backup.
Two of the bochurim were tragically niftar at the scene. The three others sustained various injuries, including two who remain in critical condition and one who is reportedly in stable condition.
The niftarim have been identified as Dovid Yitzchok Handler z”l and Chaim Zelig Berl z”l. Levaya details will be published when it becomes available.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the crash, and further information will be released as it becomes available.
Please say Tehillim for Meir Moshe Aharon ben Devorah Naomi and Rafael ben Sarah, who are both in critical condition.
The levaya for Chaim Zelig Berl z”l will take place on Friday afternoon at 4:15 pm at Bais Mordechai (Mickey’s), 1455 Heathwood.
The levaya for Dovid Yitzchok Handler z”l will take place on Friday afternoon at 5 PM at the Lakewood Chapel, 613 Ramsey Avenue.
The kevurah for both bochurim will take place in Lakewood.
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7 Responses
The time has arrived to recite:-
1) תפילת הדרך
2) ברכת הגומל
upon every time one enters a car ride:- Even local.
Local car ride is more dangerous {A,K,A, כל הדרכים בחזקת סכנה} than commercial aviation [even in 2025] and more in need of the 2 above Prayers.
To 147: First of all, condolences to the families would have been the proper first response. Secondly, no posek I know of says one should say Tefilas HaDerech for a local ride and surely not for Birkas HaGomel. Again, where is your empathy and sympathay for your fellow yid? If you want to change halacha, get the poskim to agree, don’t spout out on a reply page. For shame!
Hshem has decided to take korbanos. We all need to do Teshuva. From our perspective we may need to question whetehr we drive with eidilkeit or aggression, with distractions or concentration, with entitlement or humility. Yes, say Mizmor Ldovid before leaving the curb. Gam Ki ailech in the valley of death. HaRav Shlomo Prager zt”l would not put his car in “park” until he completed a perek Tehillim. Baruch Dayan Emes
Well, Boruch Hashem at least the first to posters agree that a n appropriate response is to quibble . Great start!
Poster #1, 147, I’m shocked at your insensitive comment!
The רבונו של עולם took two קרבנות עולה, no doubt to atone for the dor: 2 קרבנות
Nebech on their parents!
Nebech on their siblings!
Nebech on their חברים!
Nebech on their Rebbeyim!
מי שאמר לעולמו די יאמר לצרותינו די
Klaal Yisrael has been through so much!
Genoog Tatteh! Genoog!
I agree with 147 that even nowadays there is potential danger (ch”v) around roads (for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, bystanders), even local ones, and that it would be appropriate and proper to have that reflected in tefillah and hodaah to HKB”H. To say tefillas haderech and birkas hagomel, with שם ומלכות, for a local trip, may be going too far though, I leave that to poskim. However, saying tefillas haderech without Shem uMalchus, or just a short personal prayer, esp. when one feels they are in order, would seem okay, and also a short thanks to HKB”H on conclusion of a ride. But as our customs stand now, it would be bigeder reshus, a personal choice, rather than chova, obligatory, licheora. As Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l might have said if asked about such an idea, it is always good to daven.
P.S. Re “local” car rides – local can mean different things to different people. A ride down the block can be very different than a twenty or thirty minute trip to another neighborhood, town, or city. Local is relative.
Heartbreaking. BDE.
May hashem send a refuah shleimah to the injured.
According to various news sources, it appears that the car swerved to avoid the deer.
It is important to make the public aware of the official recommended practice when encountering a deer on the road. The following is from the New York State department of Transportation website
.If a deer does run in front of your vehicle, brake firmly but do not swerve. Swerving can cause a vehicle-vehicle collision or cause the vehicle to strike a pedestrian or potentially deadly fixed object, such as a tree or utility pole.
מי שאמר לעולמו די יאמר לצרותינו די