Passaic, NJ – A campaign launched in memory of a young woman from Passaic who is being remembered after her tragic death for her exemplary acts of chesed may provide a New Jersey Hatzolah chapter with a much needed new ambulance.
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As previously reported on VIN News, 22 year old Devorah Stubin went missing on the night of January 14th. Members of local law enforcement from across the northern New Jersey area were joined by hundreds of volunteers from the greater New York area in the massive search, which ended in heartbreak as the missing vehicle and its driver were found submerged in the Passaic River.
Creating a living legacy to Devorah through Hatzolah seemed like an obvious choice, according to Rabbi Menachem Zupnik, rov of Bais Torah U’Tfilah in Passaic which is organizing the project to benefit Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton, originators of the mobilization effort in the two day search.
“Our Hatzolah needs an ambulance very badly,” Rabbi Zupnik told VIN News. “The ones we have are old and need to be replaced. While Devorah had a lot of personal challenges in life and it was hard for her to accomplish what others take for granted, she was the baalas chesed of the neighborhood. She would take care of kids to help their parents and she also tutored children and wouldn’t take money because she said that she had had a hard time in school and she understood what it was like.”
According to Rabbi Zupnik, Devorah dealt with an assortment of ailments in her life which often left her in pain, yet she faced them with optimism and grace.
“She always smiled,” recalled Rabbi Zupnik. “She never complained. And despite her infirmities and challenges, she lived to do mitzvos. She never wanted to be the star of the show. She was just a pure, innocent neshama who loved to do what was right and people in the neighborhood would rely on her. She wasn’t more capable than anyone else. She just did whatever she could, always helping others.”
The cost of a new ambulance is $200,000 and having an ambulance dedicated in memory of Devorah will perpetuate both her memory and her good deeds.
“The search brought such a kiddush Hashem and an achdus because of Devorah and we thought it was appropriate to continue doing something in her name to do chesed for the community,” said Rabbi Zupnik. “We hope that it will be a nechama for her family that she will be continuing to help others.”
Rabbi Aaron Fink, dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey remembered Devorah from her days as an eleventh and twelfth grader in his school.
“She was a ballas midos, a tzanua, a role model for others,” recalled Rabbi Fink. “She was gentle, firm, frum, and very passionate about all of her mitzvos. Her sensitivity to others was remarkable. She never spoke lashon hara and she went as far as she could for others. In the yearbook they wrote she was a girl that wanted to live her life with complete bitachon.”
While Devorah faced certain physical challenges, Rabbi Fink remembered her as unstoppable.
“She was an extraordinary girl who didn’t let any obstacle stand in her way,” said Rabbi Fink.
“What others might see as adversity she saw as something to be overcome.”
Devorah had hoped to enter the world of shidduchim shortly and had arranged a lunch date with Aviva Bamberger, an old friend from Monsey, just four days before her passing. Mrs. Bamberger said that she had been looking forward to their lunch and wanted to ask Devorah about her new job as an applied behavior analysis therapist when a sudden work emergency arose, derailing their plans at the last minute.
“Most young adults would have been focused on themselves and how the situation affected them but she had none of that,” said Mrs. Bamberger. “She apologized that we were going through something difficult and asked us how things were going. It was so unlike a 22 year old. She was way beyond her years in so many ways.”
That type of behavior was typical Devorah, said Mrs. Bamberger, who she remembered as exceptionally thoughtful and sensitive to others.
“She would constantly ask me how my children were doing,” reported Mrs. Bamberger. “She always asked about other people and she had a lot of concern for them.”
Contributions to the Devorah Stubin Memorial Ambulance Campaign can be made online at www.DevorahsAmbulance.org or by mailing a donation to Bais Torah U’Tefilah, 218 Aycrigg Avenue, Passaic, New Jersey 07055.
Please give any amount you can in the memory of this beautiful neshama.