Rabbi Yehiel Kalish

At the recent HatzalahThon Hachnosas Sefer Torah

YYehiel Kalish

By Chaim Blau

Rabbi Yehiel Kalish has always been all about serving the community. From his activism with Agudas Yisroel of America, to his time in the halls of the Illinois House of Representatives, to his current role as CEO of Chevra Hatzalah, Rabbi Kalish has brought passion, dedication, and uncommon energy to his extensive askanus. Although he is a very busy man, he made some time to speak to me on the phone to share his story and some details of the exciting work he is doing now.

Rabbi Kalish’s career started earlier than most. His very first job in askanus came at the young age of nine, when he served as the local vice president of Junior NCSY. “I was always a mevakesh; I wanted to do big things for the community,” says Rabbi Kalish. After time spent learning in yeshiva in Chicago, Rabbi Kalish joined the Cincinnati Community Kollel. Soon after, he caught the eye of Rav Shmuel Bloom, the legendary Executive Vice President of Agudas Yisroel of America, who offered him a job. “At every step of my life, I have always turned to my rabbeim for guidance,” says Rabbi Kalish. “They encouraged me to join the Agudah, which proved to be pivotal in my life and career. Primarily influential were the people I got to meet and work with: Rabbi Avraham Chaim Levin, Rabbi Labish Becker, Rabbi Bloom, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel and others. I was fortunate to spend time at the feet of all these giants and absorb the mesorah of what it means to work on behalf of the community. Those experiences shaped everything I have done since.”

Rabbi Kalish’s work with the Agudah brought him directly to the doors of government: local, state and federal. His responsibilities began with opening a legislative office in Chicago, and he was ultimately promoted to National Director of Government Affairs and Vice President for Development and State Relations. His experience dealing with government would come in very handy in the following stages of his career.

Rabbi Kalish is a real doer, and as time went on, he realized that he wanted to continue growing in

Visiting with Rav Aharon Leib Steinman, zt’l in 2013 on behalf of Agudath Israel.

a new direction. “I loved my work at the Agudah, but I wanted to do more,” says Rabbi Kalish. “After conferring with my rabbeim, community leaders and askanim, I decided to start my own consulting business, which focused mostly on advising businesses in the healthcare space.” At his consulting firm, The S4 Group, Rabbi Kalish became even more involved in the business of politics and started developing relationships that we eventually bring him into the halls of state government.

In 2019, Illinois congressman Lou Lang resigned as representative of the 16th House district. During his time at S4, Rabbi Kalish and Lang had cooperated on work related to the healthcare industry and the interests of the Chicago Jewish community, and Rabbi Kalish had made a good impression on Lang. Lang and a panel of other politicians selected Rabbi Kalish from a group of 20 candidates and appointed him to fill the empty seat.

Wading into the shark-infested waters of Illinois Democratic politics is no mean feat, certainly for an Orthodox rabbi. Rabbi Kalish was now representing an overwhelmingly liberal district, albeit one that also included a significant portion of Chicago’s frum community. As he saw it, this was an opportunity to continue the work he had done at the Agudah. “My main focus was working on behalf of the community and doing everything I could to make a Kiddush Hashem,” says Rabbi Kalish. He is particularly proud of his work on a bill designed to invest $45 billion into new infrastructure projects and that was expected to create up to 500,000 jobs. Another big accomplishment was getting crucial funding for education and transportation, which provided immense help to Chicago’s Jewish community. However, the vagaries of the infamous Illinois Democratic machine took their toll on Rabbi Kalish. “The Democratic party used to be a big tent, with space for people in the middle of the road,” Rabbi Kalish tells me. “Increasingly, it has become a narrow ideological bubble, and there were certain progressive agendas that I simply couldn’t in good conscience be a part of.” After casting a crucial ‘present’ vote on a healthcare law, Rabbi Kalish faced the vengeful wrath of his legislative peers. Deprived of party support, Rabbi Kalish’s time in the state house came to an end after the 2020 election. Despite the failed bid for another term, Rabbi Kalish says he looks back on his stint in office with a lot of pride. “We may have lost the election, but the Kiddush Hashem we were able to create through the political work is something we are very proud of.”

Soon after his time in Illinois politics ended, Rabbi’s Kalish’s name was recommended to the Executive Board of Chevra Hatzalah. They were looking for a new CEO, and Rabbi Kalish’s combination of dedication, professionalism, and political know-how made him a perfect candidate for the job. He was hired in December 2020, assuming a lead role in one of the Jewish world’s most essential and respected organizations.

As CEO, the main focus of Rabbi Kalish’s job is protecting and developing Chevra Hatzalah’s reputation. “I am in charge of coordinating our organization, and protecting the Hatzalah name,” explains Rabbi Kalish. “A big part of this is making sure that any organization that wants to use the name Hatzalah is committed to our standards. That means providing a top-caliber level of medical care, being directed by a Vaad HaRabaanim, and only accep-

Learning with his son, Yosef Aharon.

With Rav Chaim Stein, zt”l, in 2004 signing a kol korei encouraging the chareidi community to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Speaking with Rabbi Shmuel Bloom and then Senator Joe Lieberman prior to his address to the delegates of the national Agudah convention in 2003.

ting members who are Shomrei Torah. There is a certain standard of care and reputation that people expect when they hear the name Hatzalah, and we want to keep that up. If any group wants to call themselves Hatzalah they need to abide by those rules and regulations. If they cannot, we wish their organization well, but they need to use a different name.”

Hatzalah has been around for decades and is one of the most well-known Jewish organizations. But Rabbi Kalish says there is something he wished more people understood about Hatzalah. “Just call, never hesitate to call. Our dispatchers are all very experienced, and they are the best people to advise you how to proceed in any situation. If you are in doubt, call. We will be happy to help, and we’re equipped to help. That’s what we’re here for.”

A major factor in Hatzalah’s ability to serve the community is its relationship with local law enforcement and emergency services. While there may have been conflicts in the past, Rabbi Kalish is very proud of the current level of cooperation. “Having a productive partnership with the local organizations is something that we take very seriously and invest a lot of effort into,” says Rabbi Kalish. “Recently, we presented a plaque to the outgoing chief of the Palisades Parkway Police, who was appointed by Governor Murphy. His predecessor had been very antagonistic towards Jews, giving out an inordinate number of tickets and creating difficulties for Hatzalah. We wanted to show our appreciation for the past years, during which we were able move into a new era of cooperation and understanding.”

Another recent sign of cooperation was the August 2nd NYPD vs. Flatbush Hatzalah softball game at MCU Field, where the Democratic nominee for Mayor of NYC, Eric Adams, threw out the first pitch. Many local politicians and NYPD notables attended the game, highlighting their warm relationship with Hatzalah.

Another factor in cooperation with local authorities are the Hatzalah members who have serious cachet with these organizations. “Our medical director, Dr. Shimshi Zimmerman, does training for the FDNY, and his connections with them really help our interorganizational cooperation,” Rabbi Kalish says. “Another member of ours is Deputy Inspector Richie Taylor, who is probably the highest ranking Shomer Shabbos person in the history of the NYPD. The presence of individuals like this in the Hatzalah organization helps us elevate our reputation and maintain a good kesher with local law enforcement.”

Unfortunately, this summer has been one marked by terrible tragedies, a time when Hatzalah has to answer the call. I asked Rabbi Kalish to describe how the organization reacted to the recent incidents in Meron and Surfside. “Although American Hatzalah was not directly involved in responding to Meron, one of our Boro Park members was there and jumped into action immediately,” Rabbi Kalish tells me. “Hatzalah’s organizational focus is saving lives. In situations where, unfortunately, life-saving opportunities have passed, there is very little we can do other than try to provide some comfort. However, when it came to Surfside, even within those limitations there was an enormous amount that was done. This tragedy was very close to home; many members of the Hatzalah of South Florida knew victims who died in the towers. At the earliest stages of the disaster, Baruch Sandhaus and other members were there trying to help save anyone they could. As the operations shifted to a search for survivors and then

Bringing Ryan Greenberg, Director of EMS Services to the Woodmere Hatzalah Garage with local coordinators.

for bodies r’l, our members were mostly helping the firefighters with smoke inhalation, burns and dehydration, while also providing support for the community. We also provided a lot of material assistance to the IDF rescue crew who came in and did such great work. We did whatever we could to get the community through this terrible tragedy.”

Being CEO of such a beloved organization, who so many people feel gratitude to, is a very rewarding experience for Rabbi Kalish. What he’s most proud of are the Hatzalah members themselves. “Our people are so incredible, so dedicated and professional. We have over 1600 members and paramedics, and each and every one of them is a hero.” Rabbi Kalish tells me a story to illustrate the level of commitment Hatzalah members have for their work. “I was recently at a shiva house of a family member who passed away r’l. Hatzalah had been there trying to save him at the end. When I walked in, the reaction I got from the Yesomim and the Almana was incredible. They were thanking me profusely and telling me how hard the Hatzalah members had worked to resuscitate, and everything else they had done to try to help. In this family’s moment of sorrow and loss, they were still so grateful for the incredible work that Hatzalah had done. I’m so proud that our members are out there going above and beyond on behalf of the community.”

Another perk of the job is the constant stream of inspiration that Rabbi Kalish gets from his work with Hatzalah. He tells me another story about the daily miracles that Hatzalah’s members’ encounter. “There was a call where two medics ended up on an ambulance, even though it wasn’t really necessary to have them both there. The patient was stable and doing fine, he just needed transport to the hospital. On the way, the ambulance happened to pass a spot where unfortunately a child had been struck by a vehicle. And one of the medics on the ambulance happened to be someone who specializes in pediatric emergencies. They were able to help save this child’s life. Seeing that incredible Hashgacha Pratis, Hashem orchestrating all the details of this entire scenario, is incredibly inspiring in my Yiddishkeit”

Although the job is very rewarding, it isn’t without its challenges. When I ask Rabbi Kalish what the biggest challenge is, he gives me a simple answer: “That there are only 24 hours in the day! The responsibilities of this job are enormous, and there is so much work that we want to do. At the same time, there needs to be time for all the other important areas of my life: being there for my family, davening, learning, and maintaining my physical health. For me, the challenge is making sure I can balance all of the other facets of life with leading the organization as CEO.”

One of those facets is Rabbi Kalish’s role as a chazzan on Yomin Noraim. “I’ve been the Shliach Tzibur at Shaarei Tzedek in Chicago for the last 18 years, and I haven’t missed a year,” says Rabbi Kalish “the highlight is Kol Nidrei and Neilah. I like to use Eitan Katz’s Elul nigun, and it brings an incredible energy to everyone there. Especially last year, with everyone coming out of Covid, the passion in shul was something special.” It’s safe to say that the crowd at Shaarei Tzedek is not just feeding off the nigunim, but also Rabbi Kalish’s energy, dedication, and love for the tzibbur, the same things that make him shine in his role as CEO of Chevra Hatzalah.

With Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker in 2019 on the House Floor in Springfield, IL.