By Andrew Coen
Freshman Jacob Greenberg of Merrick lost consciousness in front of the school just before noon on March 30, while throwing a football around with classmates.
After attempts by CPR-trained students, nurses and medics to revive the teen, Greenberg was rushed to St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, where he was treated. He was then transferred to Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, where he died on Thursday night, HAFTR officials said. An autopsy was conducted, but the exact cause of death is still unknown, according to officials at the yeshiva.
After Greenberg collapsed, students and faculty held prayers for him in the school's auditorium throughout the remainder of the day. Counselors were also made available for students and faculty in the days after the tragedy, according to HAFTR Executive Director David Shapiro.
"Everyone was crying, everyone was sad," said senior Adam Kris. "Everyone was anxious to hear how he was."
Yoni Lipschitz was one of the students who was tossing the football around with Greenberg when he lost consciousness. "We were playing football, and he turned around and fell over and collapsed and was not breathing," said Lipschitz.
"The kids didn't know what happened," sophomore Andrew Sloan said a little over an hour after the incident. "A lot of people [were] crying and scared."
Kris, who is certified in CPR, raced from his class to try to revive Greenberg, and also called the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department. Kris, along with a school nurse and a man who witnessed the incident from the nearby Tiffany House Apartment Complex, all responded to perform CPR until the fire department and the Hatzalah ambulance service responded. Medics from the fire department and Hatzalah performed CPR for about 25 minutes before Greenberg was taken to the hospital, according to Kris.
Hundreds of mourners from across the South Shore packed the Boulevard-Riverside Chapel in Hewlett Sunday afternoon to mourn the teen. Family members and friends paid tribute to Greenberg. "He was so bright in different ways that complemented each other," his grandfather Howard said during the funeral service, which drew many HAFTR students and faculty as well as friends from Camp Monroe upstate, where the Merrick teen spent many summers.
"I can't believe what I'm looking at," Howard Greenberg said of the crowd of mourners. "To touch so many people to come here like this is beyond what I could comprehend."
Greenberg, a Roslyn resident, spoke during an emotional eulogy of how his grandson would always sit next to him during Friday night Shabbat, and of how much he enjoyed Jacob's company. "I had dreams for this boy with his intellect, his kindness and his way of getting along with people," said Greenberg. "He had an inner sense of right and wrong, which was incomprehensible for somebody so young."
Daniel Simon, Jacob Greenberg's close childhood friend from Merrick and a fellow HAFTR student, also delivered a eulogy, and spoke of how the two used to play sports together and the dedication that Greenberg showed while competing for the HAFTR wrestling team this year, when he would wake up at 5:45 a.m. to exercise. "Jacob was so easy to get along with and very outgoing," said Simon. "Although Jacob is no longer with us, he will be in our hearts forever."
Greenberg spent a large part of his life at Camp Monroe, and the director of the summer program, Stanley Felsinger, noted how much the teen meant to the camp, reading comments from some of his fellow campers. "At camp, Jacob was a synthesis of a fun-loving young man full of life," said Felsinger. "Jacob epitomized our charge to teach the campers to act like a mensch."
Greenberg's parents, Adam and Hope, did not speak at the funeral, but the family's rabbi, Jeremiah Wohlberg, spiritual leader of Congregation Ohav Sholom in Merrick, read some remembrances the two had of their son. "Jacob was the sunshine in our lives," he read. "His eyes and smile lit up our days."
Greenberg's grandfather thanked many family members and friends, including Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick).
In addition to Greenberg's parents and grandparents, the teen is survived by two brothers, Seth and Eli, and a sister, Joanna.
Burial took place at New Montefiore Cemetery in Farmingdale. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to either the Jewish Heritage Center in Manhattan or Hatzalah. A memorial fund in honor of Greenberg is also being planned at HAFTR, Wohlberg announced.
"Our hearts and wishes go to the family, and we want them to know that we are with them in the next months, weeks and years to help them as they need it," said Shapiro.
Jesse Sherer contributed to the story. Comments about it? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
