Article By Nechama Tauber: “This month marks three years since that merciless Florida morning when our world shattered in ways I never imagined possible. But from our deepest pain, something extraordinary is emerging: the 59 Seconds for Sholom campaign.” Full Story

In memory of Sholom, whose 3rd yahrzeit is this month on the 12th of Tammuz

Please visit 59seconds.org to receive a free – potentially life saving – device that helps prevent tragic heat strokes for children accidentally forgotten in cars.

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By Nechama Tauber

The call came two years after we said goodbye to Sholom. I was standing in my kitchen when Rabbi Zvi Boyarsky asked if we would share our son’s story for a movement he was co-founding with Zalmy Cohen (one of the founders of the Hatzoloh-Thon) that would strive BEH prevent other families from walking the impossible path we’ve been forced to travel.

I held the phone thinking of my son Sholom, thinking how impossible it felt to share the pain – I could hardly sit with it myself, let alone distill the grief, the loss, the experience into something shareable… And then I thought of other mothers, how maybe sharing our experience of losing Sholom in a hot car death can help prevent others from walking that impossible path. We are all collectively in a swirling epidemic of chaos and multi tasking and hustle culture – we need change, we need to wake up. We need to slow down. We need to be more present. And awareness of this issue is the beginning.

This month marks three years since that merciless Florida morning on the 12th of Tammuz when our world shattered in ways I never imagined possible. But from our deepest pain, something extraordinary is emerging: the 59 Seconds for Sholom campaign – a global movement that could save countless lives with actions that take less than one sacred minute.

My husband Menachem and I have learned something tragic in the wake of our story: hot car deaths are not rare occurrences we read about in distant news stories. They’re happening right here in our communities – in the US, in Israel, across our kehillos. Just recently, we connected with another Jewish mother who lost her 2-year-old daughter in a similar accident. A recent Times of Israel article details just how often these tragedies are taking place. The ripple effects of such tragedies extend far beyond the immediate family, shaking entire communities and all of klal Yisrael.

VIDEO

These accidents have happened to loving, attentive parents who simply had a change in routine, were sleep-deprived, or experienced a momentary lapse that every parent can relate to.

An Excerpt from The Washington Post wrote Pulitzer prize winning article – Fatal Distraction – incredible article called Fatal Distraction:
“The wealthy do, it turns out. And the poor, and the middle class. Parents of all ethnicities do it. Mothers are just as likely to do it as fathers. It happens to the chronically absent-minded and to the fanatically organized, to the college-educated and to the marginally literate. In the last 10 years, it has happened to a dentist. A postal clerk. A social worker. A police officer. An accountant. A soldier. A paralegal. An electrician. A Protestant clergyman. A rabbinical student. A nurse. A construction worker. An assistant principal. It happened to a mental health counselor, a college professor and a pizza chef. It happened to a pediatrician. It happened to a rocket scientist.”

A Solution: Clever Elly and the Power of Community
At the heart of this campaign is a simple yet potentially life-saving device called Clever Elly – which takes less than a minute to plug in to your car!

This small gadget plugs into your car, can charge your phone, and provides an audio reminder to check the back seat every time you turn off the engine. The custom-ordered devices for this campaign feature voices from Jewish singers, friendly children’s voices, and other fun/vital safety messages for your children to hear.

Please take a moment and get devices for your family, and help others do the same by sharing this campaign with your network and on social media. Please Visit 59seconds.org now!
This is not just about technology – it’s about creating a network of people who care enough to take action.

We all know and believe that saving one life is like saving an entire world. The Sholom Challenge embodies this principle, asking each of us to take small actions – things that take less than 59 seconds – that could literally save lives and bring more sholom (peace) into the world.

How to Get Involved
If you’re moved by this cause at all and feeling pulled to participate, we are looking for people to act as Sholom Leaders, and help us distribute Clever Elly devices to as many people as possible. We need people to help us reach schools, communities, Shuls, and neighborhoods – and get Clever Elly into every family car.
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Please also take a team page/goal if you can. You will receive your unique link which you can use to send to family and friends to encourage them to also get this device. You can also set a goal to raise funds for this vita effort and the work of Team Protect!

The commitment is simple but profound: use your influence, your networks, your voice to help prevent other families from experiencing this unthinkable loss.
May we merit techiyas hameisim, and the coming of Moshiach now, when the whole world will be filled with true and everlasting Sholom.

Until that day comes – and may it be today! – we have the opportunity – and the obligation – to bring more safety, more protection, and more peace into our world, one family at a time.
To learn more about becoming a Sholom Leader or to see the campaign video, visit www.59seconds.org

And most importantly: Please post, share, and spread the word on social media. Your voice could be the reason another family is protected.
(If your child – or someone you know uses a pool – please visit www.teamprotect.org/poolsafety to learn how you can use technology to help save lives!)

To read more about Sholom’s story and important safety information, see the recent article in Ami Magazine about the Tauber family.

SOME SAFETY TIPS THAT SEEM OBVIOUS BUT ACTUALLY SAVE LIVES:
1. Create a Backseat Habit
Place your shoe, phone, or bag – or something you would never leave the car without – in the back seat every time you drive with a child – before the journey begins!

2. Always Lock Your Car
Prevent children from climbing in unnoticed when parked at home or elsewhere.

3. Never Leave a Child in the Car
Not for a minute, not under any circumstances. Even with cracked windows, car temperatures rise dangerously fast. “30 second Errands” have resulted in tragedies, RL – when unexpected distractions arise during the errand.

4. Exercise Extra Caution with Routine Changes
Disruptions to normal schedules increase forgetfulness. Park with presence.

5. Use Technology as a Backup
Activate your vehicle’s “Check Rear Seat” feature or use a device like Clever Elly for audio reminders. See other technologies on Team Protects website for your car.