After Devastating Accident Kills Three, Shluchim Step In

After a horrible accident on the Garden State Parkway killed a Jewish couple and their teenage daughter, nearby shluchim stepped in to attend to the bodies and to support their surviving son and the reeling community.

By Anash.org reporter

A devastating accident late Motzei Shabbos claimed the lives of three members of a Jewish family from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. The crash occurred shortly before midnight on the northbound side of the Garden State Parkway in Woodbridge Township, resulting in the tragic deaths of David Dryerman, 54, his wife Michele Dryerman, 54, and their 17-year-old daughter, Brooke.

New Jersey State Police reported that David was driving the Tesla when the car suddenly swerved off the road. The car struck a sign, a guardrail, and a concrete bridge support before coming to a halt. Devastatingly, all three individuals were declared dead at the scene.

In the aftermath of the calamity, Rabbi Dov Drizin, shliach of Valley Chabad in Woodcliff Lake, worked closely with emergency personnel to ensure proper kavod hameis.

Around 150 members of the Pascack Hills High School and Valley Chabad communities gathered on Sunday evening for a candlelight ceremony to honor the memory of David, Michele, and Brooke. The event also provided an opportunity to offer love and support to their surviving son, Max.

“We are all shocked and in such pain today,” Rabbi Yosef Orenstein, director of the Valley Chabad Teen programs, said at the gathering. “A terrible accident took beloved parents, David and Michele, and their daughter Brooke, a dear friend to many of our teens. Baruch Dayan HaEmes. We gather to light a candle, pray, share memories, and do a mitzvah in memory of Brooke and her dear parents. Whether you knew the family or not, we are all hurting.”

Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo also expressed his condolences, sharing a statement on Facebook: “I just received word of this terrible tragedy. I have ordered that our flags be lowered. I am in shock. Please keep the family in your prayers.”

The cause of the crash remains under investigation as officials work to determine what led to the heartbreaking accident.

In a conversation with Anash.org, Rabbi Drizin spoke about the many teens who reached out in the aftermath of the accident.

“It’s powerful to see all the beautiful neshamos of the teens who reached out to Rabbi and Mrs. Orenstien. They’re shocked and saddened but also extremely committed to expanding their Yiddishkeit footprint in memory of their dear friend Brooke and her parents, to walk doubly, give doubly, and live doubly, for them and for their friends.”