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Light Drizzle Eight children, six adults hurt in Woodmere Hanukkah celebration accident
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At approximately 2:45 p.m., Theodore Saretsky, 76, of Atlantic Beach, was driving his 2007 BMW X3 north on Broadway at Franklin Place when he lost control of his car, struck a parked car and pushed it up onto the sidewalk. The BMW then smashed into Chanukah Wonderland, at 1052 Broadway.
Lenore Davis, a local attorney who runs the fivetowns.com Web site, said that many adults were quick on their feet when they saw the car coming toward them and into the storefront. One of the heroes was Rabbi Meir Geisinsky, youth director for Chabad. “Instead of running away from the scene, Meir ran toward the accident,” Davis said. “He saw the car coming and grabbed three children out of the way. He also dug his hands underneath the car to feel for any children. When he felt one child, he pulled him out.”
Approximately 150 people were in the building at the time, and eight children and six adults, ranging in ages from 1 to 40, were injured in the incident. Four were in serious condition, and the injured, mostly suffering from blunt force trauma, were transported to area hospitals. One victim was trapped under Saretsky’s car in the party room. As of press time, all of the children had been discharged from the hospitals, but one parent remained in critical but stable condition at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside.
According to police, the man stuck underneath the BMW received help from people at the party and local store owners, who lifted the vehicle off him. “When we have multi casualties, it’s amazing to see everyone step up and help out as quickly as they can,” said 4th Precinct Detective Lt. Kevin Smith. “The Long Island community should be proud for providing help for those who needed aid.”
“We are all praying for the people who got hurt and hope for a speedy recovery for all,” said Rabbi Heshy Blumstein of Young Israel of Hewlett. “We continue to send an outpour of prayers for everybody to get better, including the driver that was hurt. The community needs to show sentiment for him because it must be emotionally difficult for him.”
“Our hearts and prayers are with those who were injured in today's accident at the Chanukah Wonderland,” Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, director and spiritual leader for Chabad of the Five Towns, said in a written statement. “We appreciate and are comforted by the tremendous outpouring of support, and are also overwhelmed with requests for additional information.”
One local store owner, who declined to be identified, said that many at the scene weren’t sure if what happened was deliberate or an accident in the wake of the attacks on the Chabad house in Mumbai, India, in November. “With all of the ambulances and people screaming, it was very crazy,” the store owner said. “Nobody knew what was going on, whether it was terrorism-related or not, because it involved Chabad.”
“We urge every person to keep the victims in your prayers, and we encourage everyone to undertake an additional mitzvah in their merit,” Wolowik said. “As we are in the midst of celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah, may we merit to celebrate the miraculous and speedy recovery of all who are injured.”
The New York City and Suffolk County police departments, along with Woodmere, Hewlett, Lawrence, Valley Stream, Meadowmere Park, Inwood and Cedarhurst fire department ambulances and several private ambulances assisted Nassau County Police Department ambulances in transporting and treating those who were hurt. “All of the aided are being treated with the finest care and are in stable condition, but will thankfully be all right,” Smith said. “All of the units that came to the scene came at a quick pace for the number of people that needed aid.”
According to police, the floormat of Saretsky’s vehicle was dislodged and thrust forward behind the brake pedal and in front of the accelerator. The mat pushed the accelerator, causing Saretsky to lose control of the car. State motor vehicle records show that he had no accidents or violations on his driving record, police said.
Saretsky was treated and released from a local hospital that day. The police do not intend to charge him. “The driver was surprised and shocked when the car suddenly started to accelerate and he was unprepared for this,” Smith said.
Saretsky could not be reached for comment.
Though the accident occurred on the fourth day of Hanukkah, Wolowik did not miss a single night of lighting the menorah at Cedarhurst Park. “It was great to see Rabbi Wolowik still show up and light the candle that night,” Davis said. “He didn’t want to have a dark candle in the park, and wanted the celebration of a Hanukkah miracle to continue.”
The Chabad house in Cedarhurst hosted a Hanukkah activities event, much like the Chanukah Wonderland, on Monday to celebrate the end of the holiday on a happy note. The house has also set up a 24-hour confidential help line, at (516) 612-0650, and is providing licensed counseling to anyone affected by the accident.
Comments about this story? ENemeroff@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
Lenore Davis, a local attorney who runs the fivetowns.com Web site, said that many adults were quick on their feet when they saw the car coming toward them and into the storefront. One of the heroes was Rabbi Meir Geisinsky, youth director for Chabad. “Instead of running away from the scene, Meir ran toward the accident,” Davis said. “He saw the car coming and grabbed three children out of the way. He also dug his hands underneath the car to feel for any children. When he felt one child, he pulled him out.”
Approximately 150 people were in the building at the time, and eight children and six adults, ranging in ages from 1 to 40, were injured in the incident. Four were in serious condition, and the injured, mostly suffering from blunt force trauma, were transported to area hospitals. One victim was trapped under Saretsky’s car in the party room. As of press time, all of the children had been discharged from the hospitals, but one parent remained in critical but stable condition at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside.
According to police, the man stuck underneath the BMW received help from people at the party and local store owners, who lifted the vehicle off him. “When we have multi casualties, it’s amazing to see everyone step up and help out as quickly as they can,” said 4th Precinct Detective Lt. Kevin Smith. “The Long Island community should be proud for providing help for those who needed aid.”
“We are all praying for the people who got hurt and hope for a speedy recovery for all,” said Rabbi Heshy Blumstein of Young Israel of Hewlett. “We continue to send an outpour of prayers for everybody to get better, including the driver that was hurt. The community needs to show sentiment for him because it must be emotionally difficult for him.”
One local store owner, who declined to be identified, said that many at the scene weren’t sure if what happened was deliberate or an accident in the wake of the attacks on the Chabad house in Mumbai, India, in November. “With all of the ambulances and people screaming, it was very crazy,” the store owner said. “Nobody knew what was going on, whether it was terrorism-related or not, because it involved Chabad.”
“We urge every person to keep the victims in your prayers, and we encourage everyone to undertake an additional mitzvah in their merit,” Wolowik said. “As we are in the midst of celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah, may we merit to celebrate the miraculous and speedy recovery of all who are injured.”
The New York City and Suffolk County police departments, along with Woodmere, Hewlett, Lawrence, Valley Stream, Meadowmere Park, Inwood and Cedarhurst fire department ambulances and several private ambulances assisted Nassau County Police Department ambulances in transporting and treating those who were hurt. “All of the aided are being treated with the finest care and are in stable condition, but will thankfully be all right,” Smith said. “All of the units that came to the scene came at a quick pace for the number of people that needed aid.”
According to police, the floormat of Saretsky’s vehicle was dislodged and thrust forward behind the brake pedal and in front of the accelerator. The mat pushed the accelerator, causing Saretsky to lose control of the car. State motor vehicle records show that he had no accidents or violations on his driving record, police said.
Saretsky was treated and released from a local hospital that day. The police do not intend to charge him. “The driver was surprised and shocked when the car suddenly started to accelerate and he was unprepared for this,” Smith said.
Saretsky could not be reached for comment.
Though the accident occurred on the fourth day of Hanukkah, Wolowik did not miss a single night of lighting the menorah at Cedarhurst Park. “It was great to see Rabbi Wolowik still show up and light the candle that night,” Davis said. “He didn’t want to have a dark candle in the park, and wanted the celebration of a Hanukkah miracle to continue.”
The Chabad house in Cedarhurst hosted a Hanukkah activities event, much like the Chanukah Wonderland, on Monday to celebrate the end of the holiday on a happy note. The house has also set up a 24-hour confidential help line, at (516) 612-0650, and is providing licensed counseling to anyone affected by the accident.
Comments about this story? ENemeroff@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
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