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Jewish Fire Chaplain Buried with Full Honors in Rockland County

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Firefighters saluting Hillcrest Fire Department Lay Chaplain Richard Mordechai Silverberg outside the Brick Church Cemetery in Spring Valley (Photo Credit: Sandy Eller/VINnews.com)
Left to right Rabbi Mark Nenner, nephew Bruce Silverberg, brother David Silverberg, daughter Lisa Grosbeck, wife Elaine Silverberg. (Photo Credit: Sandy Eller/VINnews)

On Thursday, July 14, a longtime volunteer fire department chaplain was laid to rest with firematic and military honors at a Jewish cemetery in Rockland County.

According to VIN, on Wednesday, July 13, volunteer firefighter with the Hillcrest Fire Department for nearly 60 years, Richard Mordechai Silverberg, died at the age of 82 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  Silverberg was an Air Force veteran who held several different positions with the Hillcrest Fire Department. He was best known fo his work as the department’s chaplain.

Rockland County’s emergency services coordinator Gordon Wren told VIN News “He didn’t have any formal training but he excelled as a chaplain. He really cared about people.  If one of our firefighters got hurt, either on the job or in their personal lives, he was right there behind the ambulance and in the hospital, making sure they got proper treatment.

While Silverberg was known to never miss a meeting, illness prevented him from attending the June and July gatherings.  A group of approximately 40 firefighters went to visit Silverberg in the Joe Raso Hospice Residence after the July meeting and despite the gravity of his illness, Silverberg took the time to address each of his visitors personally.”

Hillcrest Fire Department first lieutenant Shlomo Pomeranz told VIN, “One of the younger guys became a fireman at 16 or 17 and because he didn’t have a car, Richie would often stop to pick him up on his way to a fire. He just got into the FDNY and Richie pulled him over and said, ‘you are a good fireman and you are going to be a great firefighter.’  As always, he spoke from the heart and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.”

Wren added, “He was on his deathbed that night and he was still asking each of us how we were and how our families were doing.”

At many firefighters’ funerals, Silverberg officiated as a chaplain.

“He had a knack for it. He was the one who would speak. It was just something that was in his blood,” said Wren.

According to VIN, “Silverberg, an honorary member of the West Nyack Fire Department, grew up right around the corner from the Hillcrest firehouse. While he did not live his life as an Orthodox Jew, he wore a Jewish star badge on his uniform, refusing to take it off even when confronted.”

On Thursday afternoon, July 14, the funeral for Silverberg was held at Hellman’s Memorial Chapel in Spring Valley. Accompanied by multiple fire trucks, Silverberg was transported by antique fire engine to the Jewish cemetery off of Brick Church Road in Spring Valley, after a short last stop at the Hillcrest Fire Department.

VIN reports, “Silverberg was accorded full fire and military honors at his funeral and dozens of white gloved firefighters paid their final respects to Silverberg, saluting his American flag draped casket, standing at attention during Rabbi Mark Nenner’s service and taking turns shoveling dirt onto Silverberg’s grave.

Silverberg is survived by his wife Elaine and his daughter Lisa.”

Hannah Hayes

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