By Y.M. Lowy

Last week, we followed how a jewelry merchant unexpectedly became one of the community’s most trusted askanim. This week, we look at one of the most dramatic chapters in his years of public service—a battle over kavod hameis that began with a community protest and ultimately helped reshape New York State policy.

By the 1970s, Yudel Weberman had become one of Monsey’s most recognizable community leaders. A devoted Yid, following in the footsteps of the famed Weberman family, he was also known as the address for virtually every need that arose in the growing community.

In addition to serving as chaplain of the Ramapo Police Department, Yudel held several public positions over the years, including serving as a deputy sheriff.

“He accepted the deputy sheriff position simply to serve as a bridge between the Orthodox community and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office,” his son, Reb Shmuel Yitzchok, recalled.

Yudel also represented Monsey’s interests in Albany and Washington, developing relationships with elected officials and advocating on behalf of local residents whenever the need arose.

Long before Hatzalah existed in Monsey, Yudel recognized the need for emergency medical services within the community. He trained in first aid and joined Ramapo Valley Ambulance, becoming the first—and for a time the only—heimishe EMT in the area. Community members in need of medical assistance often knocked on his door at all hours of the night. Over a ten-year period, he responded to more than 2,000 emergency calls.

His involvement in medical matters eventually brought him into regular contact with the county medical examiner’s office, where he worked tirelessly to ensure that Jewish families could avoid unnecessary delays in bringing loved ones to kevurah. That work would place him at the center of one of the most significant communal battles of his career.

In the fall of 1976, tragedy struck a prominent Skver family when a young child suddenly passed away. Word quickly spread that the county medical examiner intended to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. 

Within a short time, hundreds of residents from Monsey and New Square gathered outside the medical examiner’s office in Pomona to protest the planned procedure. The crowd grew to nearly 500 people. Protesters blocked the ambulance carrying the child’s body, while sheriff’s deputies and police officers arrived to maintain order.

According to Reb Shmuel Yitzchok, Medical Examiner Dr. Frederick Zugibe approached Yudel directly and asked why the community felt so strongly. Yudel calmly explained that according to halachah, an autopsy represented a serious violation of kavod hameis. When Dr. Zugibe learned that the family opposed the procedure, he ultimately agreed to release the body without performing the autopsy.

At the time, New York law generally gave medical examiners broad authority to proceed even over family objections. Nevertheless, facing intense community pressure, the autopsy was canceled.

The Skver Rebbe, zt”l, personally came to the scene and urged the protesters to disperse peacefully, assuring them that the matter would be resolved appropriately. The child was released and brought to kevurah without further delay. Local newspapers noted that despite the highly emotional circumstances, the protest remained peaceful and orderly.

Only months later, another case would have even greater consequences.

In the spring of 1977, a 66-year-old Monsey woman was struck by a vehicle while crossing Route 59. She was rushed to the hospital but sadly passed away shortly afterward.

Again, Dr. Zugibe announced plans to perform an autopsy, arguing that he needed to determine whether the death resulted from the accident itself or from an unrelated medical condition. This time, Yudel took the fight to court.

He immediately filed an emergency legal challenge seeking to prevent the procedure. The case quickly landed before New York Supreme Court Justice Morton Silberman. The result was a dramatic victory.

Justice Silberman ruled that because there was no indication of criminal activity, the medical examiner could not disregard the family’s religious objections and proceed with an autopsy. The ruling was considered groundbreaking and attracted attention far beyond Rockland County.

Soon afterward, legislation was introduced in Albany to limit the authority of medical examiners to perform autopsies over family objections except in criminal investigations or situations involving public health concerns.

The proposal faced strong opposition from medical examiner organizations throughout the state. However, one of its strongest supporters was newly elected Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, who worked tirelessly to secure enough votes for its passage. The legislation ultimately became law, creating protections that continue to impact families across New York to this day.

What began as a local protest outside a county office had evolved into a statewide change—one that many credited to Yudel Weberman’s unwavering commitment to helping fellow Yidden.

Rockland Daily’s “Unearthing the Past” series will continue exploring the people, places, memories, and hidden stories connected to Monsey’s historic time capsule, preserving the history that helped shape Monsey into the town it is today. As 2026 marks 50 years since the 1976 reopening, Monsey is once again drawing closer to revisiting that historic moment.

photo credit: © 2024 Newspapers.com.