Joel was born and raised in Sharon, MA on January 28, 1969. He loved challenges—he ran in the Boston Marathon, enjoyed biking and swimming, and was passionate about Israel. He studied Talmud and found deep meaning in his Jewish identity. In 2006, he and his family made aliyah, and Joel built a successful career as an attorney. He was a devoted husband and father to his wife Debby and their three children: Noam, Merav and Liron.
On Sunday, September 3, 2023, the fateful day, Joel went for his routine swim at the local swim club. Suddenly, without any warning, he went into cardiac arrest. Though the pool staff acted quickly, they were ultimately unable to save him.
In honor of Joel’s memory, his family decided to donate defibrillators (AEDs), in the hope that despite their tragic experience, Joel’s name will now forever be associated with lifesaving efforts.
The AED station includes a defibrillator placed in a smart locker. The availability of a nearby defibrillator increases the chances of survival from 6% to 65% or more. In the event of cardiac arrest, the faster an electric shock is administered to the heart, the higher the patient's chances of survival.
Donate NOW and help us honor Joel's memory!
More about Joel:
Joel loved Israel and his community. He loved learning Talmud and found deep meaning in his Jewish identity; he was committed to his own Jewish religious observance without ever judging the choices made by others.
Joel loved his family: his wife, Debby, and his children: Noam, Meirav, and Liron, and he took pride as his family expanded with Deena and Meir. He was a loving son to Gerald and Sandra, and he was thrilled by their decision, in 2012, to make Aliyah. His expectation was to enjoy many more years living around the corner from them in Modi’in. Joel was Aaron’s baby brother, whom he deeply respected, loved and admired.
Joel loved taking on challenges. He designed and built a storage shed while he was still studying in high school. As a young father, he trained for and ran the Boston Marathon. He loved to bike and swim and had participated in several triathlons.
Bank details for wire transfer:
Attn: Israeli Friends of MDA
BANK LEUMI LE-ISRAEL-B.M
Branch: YAD ELIYAHU 814
Address: 9 HASHLOSHA TEL AVIV
Swift: LUMIILIT814
IBAN: IL900108140000006078453
