Chaverim (Hebrew: חברים, lit. 'companions'), also spelled Chaveirim, is an umbrella name for Orthodox Jewish volunteer organizations with locations all over the world; they provide roadside assistance and other non-medical emergency help at home or on the road. All services are free. The organizations are supported by local donations.[1][2]
History
Chaverim was started in Monsey, New York by Rabbi Shaya Zev Erps in July 1999. The grassroots organization opened a hotline to assist stranded motorists and elderly and handicapped individuals. Since its founding, the Boro Park Chaverim has logged over 100,000 calls, with hundreds of calls received daily.[3][4]
Activities
Chaverim volunteers respond to calls at any hour[5] and perform the following duties, including, but not limited to:
- Assist people locked out of their home or vehicle[5][6]
- Repair flat tires[5][7] and pump low tires[1]
- Boost car batteries[5][6]
- Assist cars stuck in snow, mud, etc.[1][6][8][9]
- Give rides to motorists whose cars are disabled[5]
- Transport families to weddings during snowstorms[10]
- Give directions for those in unfamiliar areas
- Obtain gas if someone's gas tank runs dry[1][3][6]
- Assist with burst pipes[11]
- Assist with loss of essential services such as gas, electric, water, or telephone[11]
- Provide members for a shiva minyan[1][6]
Car inspections
Chaverim of Boro Park provides free 10-minute safety inspections of vehicles prior to the August summer vacation period to draw drivers' attention to safety issues with their cars.[12] Free inspections of tire pressure, blinkers, fluids, spare tire, and other car needs are also offered before the summer vacation by the Lakewood Chaverim.[13]
Holiday assistance
In 2010 Chaverim of Queens initiated a "Don't Drink and Drive" campaign on Purim which provided drivers to take home inebriated residents.[14]
Awards
In July 2008 the Lakewood Chaveirim were the recipients of a state resolution presented by New Jersey Senator Robert Singer.[15] In July 2011 the same group was given a special award for community service by the Lakewood Police Department. Police Chief Rob Lawson cited the group's help during a blackout when members volunteered to direct traffic at intersections, as well as their assistance to people locked out of their cars or homes.[16]
Collaborative efforts
Chaverim volunteers often work together with those of the Shomrim, Shmira and Hatzalah organizations to assist residents during crippling weather events,[17][18] and missing persons searches.[5][19][20]
In 2011, Brooklyn City Councilman David Greenfield announced a partnership with Boro Park Chaverim to identify potholes in Flatbush and Midwood after severe winter weather in 2010.[21]
Many Chaverim volunteers are professional tradesmen who donate their professional skills to provide emergency assistance.[citation needed]
Locations
Chaverim organizations are located in:
United States
New York
- Brooklyn (including Borough Park, Sea Gate, Williamsburg, Crown Heights and Flatbush)[22]
- Manhattan (including Washington Heights)[22][23]
- The Catskills[22]
- Staten Island
- Five Towns[24]
- Queens[5][25] (including Far Rockaway, which is separate[24])
- Rockland County[26]
- Kiryas Joel
- Tannersville
- Fleischmanns
New Jersey
- Jersey Shore[27]
- Lakewood[28]
- Passaic[29]
- Bergen County[30]
- Toms River[31]
- Cherry Hill
- Union County
- Middlesex county
- Linden
Other
- North East Pennsylvania (NEPA)
- Boston
- Baltimore[32][33]
- Chicago
- Dallas[34]
- Houston
- Waterbury
- West Hartford
- Cleveland[2][35]
- Detroit[36]
- Iowa[37] (primarily in Postville, Iowa)
- Los Angeles[38][39]
- Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona
- Philadelphia[40][41]
- South Florida[42]
- Greater Washington, DC[43] (primarily in Silver Spring)[44]
Other countries
Australia
Belgium
Canada
United Kingdom
Argentina
- Buenos Aires[50]
Similar organizations
Yedidim is an independent offshoot of New York's Chaverim operating in Israel since 2006 with 65,000 volunteers. Yedidim responds to calls to jumpstart cars, change flat tires, fix home plumbing and electrical problems, and any other non-medical request. The founder of the organization is Meir Wiener. The organization is headed by Israel Almasi and Lazzy Stern.[11][51]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Information". Chaverim of Baltimore. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ a b Fine, Arlene (2 February 2012). "Chaverim gears up for free road service". Cleveland Jewish News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ a b "VIDEO: Even NYPD Call Chaveirim for a Boost". Yeshiva World News. 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Beyer, Gregory (8 October 2010). "Borough Park, Brooklyn". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Chaverim of Queens Celebrates First Anniversary". The Jewish Press. 4 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "What Chaverim Offers". Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Beyer, Gregory (8 October 2010). "Living in Borough Park, Brooklyn". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Chaveirim Members Pull Member Out of Mud (video)". The Lakewood Scoop. 13 December 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2011 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Chaveirim Receives Over 650 Calls During Storm". The Lakewood Scoop. 14 February 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Chaveirim Swamped With Calls – Transport Residents To & From Weddings". The Lakewood Scoop. 26 December 2010. Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "Volunteers to the Rescue", Binah Bunch, 1 June 2009, p. 6.
- ^ "Chaveirim of Boro Park & Williamsburg Inspect Hundreds of Vehicles". Yeshiva World News. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
- ^ "Lakewood Chaveirim Third Annual Free Automobile Safety Inspections". matzav.com. 11 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Chaverim of Queens Gears Up For This Years Purim 'Don't Drink & Drive Campaign'". Yeshiva World News. 14 March 2011. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "VIDEO & PHOTOS: YWN Video Prompts Award to Lakewood Chaverim". Yeshiva World News. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ^ "Video, Photos: Lakewood Chaverim Recognized at Police Awards Ceremony". matzav.com. 29 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ^ "New York – Community Alert: SUV Hotline Set Up By Chaveirim/Hatzalah/Shomrim". Vosizneias. 28 November 2010. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "PHOTOS: Baltimore Hatzalah, Shomrim & Chaverim Work Through Blizzard". Yeshiva World News. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Tannenbaum, Rabbi Gershon (20 July 2011). "Leiby Kletzky (2002–2011)". The Jewish Press. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Large Search for Missing Boy in Lakewood". matzav.com. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Brooklyn, NY - Greenfield Teams With Chaveirim Too Park Chaverim to identify potholes in Flatbush and Midwood after severe winter Battle Potholes". Vosizneias. 12 April 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "Chaveirim of Boro Park, Williamsburg, Flatbush & Catskills". chaveirim.org. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ Meyer, Mendy "Chaverim Needed!" Archived 21 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine, KAJ Newsletter Vol. 48, No. 2, Pg. 9
- ^ a b "Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway". Chaverim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Queens Gemach Network". Queens Realtor Team. Archived from the original on 1 February 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "{PHOTOS, VIDEO}Monsey-NY, Residents on the Edge As More Storms Forecasted For Today". Yiddish Nayes. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "The Jersey Shore Chaverim Volunteer Emergency Assistance". Jersey Shore Chaverim. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ "Lakewood (central jersey) Toms River, Brick, Jackson, Howell, Manchester – Chaveirim". Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Passaic Chaverim". Passaic Chaverim. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Photos – New Chaverim of Teaneck NJ Being Trained By Chaverim in Monsey". Yiddish Nayes. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Lakewood (central jersey) Toms River, Brick, Jackson, Howell, Manchester – Chaveirim". Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Chaverim of Baltimore". chaverimofbaltimore.org. 2010. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ "One Number to Reach Our Local Organizations: Hatzalah, Shomrim, Chaverim and many more" (PDF). Baltimore Jewish Life. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ https://www.chaverimdallas.org/
- ^ "Chaverim of Cleveland". Chaverim of Cleveland. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ "Detroit Chaverim". detroitchaverim.org. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ "Chaverim Iowa Division". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ "Chaverim of Los Angeles". Chaverimla.org. Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ "Chaverim of Los Angeles Goes Live". theyeshivaworld.com. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ^ "Chaveirim of Philadelphia". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Chaveirim of Philadelphia". Facebook. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Chaverim of South Florida". Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ Storch, Frank (25 February 2013). "Chesed Task Force of Greater Washington". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Chaverim of Greater Washington". chaverimgw.org. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Chaverim Melbourne". chaverim.org.au. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ Chaverim Antwerpen Archived 15 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Facebook. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Chaverim of Montreal–Tosh–Laurentians". chaverim.ca. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Chaverim of Toronto". chaverimto.ca/. Chaverim Toronot. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Emergency Information". kosherpages.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ^ "Javerim Argentina". www.donacion.ar (in European Spanish). Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Yedidim. ערוץ - חדשות ידידים (TV news) (in Hebrew). Channel 2 (Israel). Retrieved 10 August 2011.
External links
- Chaveirim Demonstration Removing and Plugging Tire (video)
- Lakewood Police Department Awards Ceremony and Promotions Chaveirim Award (video)
- "Lakewood Gym Sponsors Evening Of Relaxation For Chaveirim Members"
- Chaverim Stories
