Rabbi Reuven Bauman, Hero

For those who don’t receive Rabbi Ashear’s shiurim via email, the story about Rabbi Bauman z’l, is in the LIVING Emunah email, July 18. Not the daily Emunah email.

I strongly urge people to read Rabbi David Ahear’s daily Emunah email sent out on July 18 to read all the details that occurred.

We cannot judge what happened based on news reports. We were not there. Apparently a lot of misinformation was spread through the media. Based on eyewitnesses, no one was swimming in the water, nor were there red flags. Some kids had their feet in the water at the edge when a riptide came crashing through dragging a child out. His friend immediately jumped in to save him, not realizing the danger he just put himself in. one of the rabbis went after them but saw he wasn't strong enough, and rabbi bauman then jumped in. Out of nowhere a fellow jumped in a dragged all the kids back, and he disappeared. It's a tragedy; no one acted irresponsibly; and rabbi bauman is a hero.

Very well said. All well meaning comments regarding the important issue of water safety are inappropriate. Nobody that’s commenting was there and knows if that was an issue here. Let’s keep the focus on the heroic deeds and life of Rabbi Bauman and learn a lesson from him. Let’s do what we can to be better people ourselves and keep the lecturing to others about safety for a different time and place.

besides the fact that the family could not have closure until the body was found, you did not mention that his wife can NEVER marry again for the rest of her life.
so when I read that he was found, I got the chills knowing that , besides being able to make a levaya, she can go on with her life. Boruch hashem
Please don't blame anyone.. Yes, he should have had on a life jacket, but
if this is what hashem decreed, it would have happened anyway.
Boruch dayan haemes

May his memories bring some comfort. Such a hero.

Rabbi Bauman z”l was a hero even if he hadn’t attempted to save the drowning student. He was teaching Torah to young boys! That’s enough to make him a hero! Baruch Dayan Haemet....

That was very well said! And in addition, all was done with such midos tovos, with a smile. A tremendous loss for the Jewish people. May his memory be a blessing.

A lot of information about this was shared via whatsapp by people close to the situation. Something that was emphasized was that no one was swimming. It doesn’t take much for a ripe current/tide to pull someone in. Please, let’s not increase this family’s pain by making the circumstances sound irresponsible.

It is of utmost importance for anybody that goes swimming in the ocean or waste deep to wear a life jacket. I know it doesn’t look fashionable, but the ocean is a dangerous place, and proper safety needs to be taken.

this life altering event reminds me of another life altering event. on sunday, the day Rabbi Bauman was found was the yaartzheit of Yehuda ben Nachman Leiby Kletzky. both events caused a tremendous sanctification of Hashem's name and unity within the nation of Israel.. maybe this is a call to have unity and sanctify Hashem's name without a tragic event having to happen

This is SUCH a tragic story!? My deepest condolences go to the Rabbi's wife,children,family,friends,students and aquaintances! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let this be a lesson for ALL Jewish people and ALL people in general!!!??????We should NOT be swimming in the sea or any salt water for that matter! The seas and oceans are incredibly dangerous places. Not only are there sharks,but there is also something called the Irikanji(?) jellyfish which can be tiny and a creature as small as a pin head can kill a grown man! They are in EVEEY ocean,sea and any other body of water associated with them!...I haven't swum in any ocean or sea for many years and I never will again! I honestly believe that GOD does not want us to have anything to do with salt water,anywhere!!! It is bad news and should be avoided at ALL costs,in my opinion!...Just look at how many people are killed each year by the seas and oceans!!! Don't take my word for it!...Do your own research,please!!!??????Shalom from Australia ?️

Oceans can be safe to swim in IF they are declared safe and lifeguards are present. Those waters are checked for bad tides and problems At least so we are told. I think maybe sometimes people want to avoid the mixed swim areas so they go to unguarded areas. HUGE mistake!

Part of my own healing has been not to read news and stay off of Twitter. I've never been on Facebook. So, I was totally unaware of this incident until now. Ironically, I have a cousin who lives in Norfolk and she never texted me anything about this although I'm sure she has been aware of it. She and I exchanged Erev Shabbat texts and no mention of this incident at all. People are unaware of the dangers of trying to rescue or even swim in any ocean. My husband was a US Marine Recin who did scuba and also surfed as a teen. He has told me that you have to swim parallel to the shore and not straight. Sadly, this pups have ended on a more positive note, if the rabbi had known the intricacies of how to rescue in the ocean. Also, I second what was written about the USCG. The USCG is now under Homeland Security so most of their patrol has been dealing with smuggling and protecting our shores. They still do search and rescue of individuals, but it's not their primary job. They did well considering their limited resources. Perhaps, Virginia Beach would do better to have more lifeguards who are prepared for rescues like the Southern California beaches have.

I lived in Norfolk and I'm somewhat familiar with the area. Sadly, the beach where this tragedy occurred was closed and under Red Flag conditions which means that water entry is forbidden. Furthermore, that area is a protected wildlife sanctuary that is permanently closed for water entry. I was also a beach lifeguard and I watched aerial and line of site footage of the water conditions shortly after R' Bauman was swept away. Even an experienced ocean swimmer would have had a difficult time. Additionally, the comparison of SoCal beaches to VA beaches is not accurate because the Atlantic Ocean's impact on the east coast is much more unpredictable and more violent than the Pacific's impact on SoCal.

I'm judging R' Bauman favorably (I knew him too) and he probably thought that Red Flag conditions mean that water entry is allowed...

I do not judge this wonderful Rabbi at all. he probably did think wading was safe and it isn't. Many do not know this, as I did not. I'm sure he was not an experienced swimmer, he just wanted to help the child. Boating and fishing is allowed in certain parts of that park, with life vest but swimming never is...I do not know whose idea it was to bring children to the water etc or to any park that is unsupervised like that but they will have to live with this too :(. I have sent children to daycamps and beaches, parks etc are not considered safe day trips due to lack of ability to supervise, lack of manpower. At sleep away there are some hikes on established trails with appropriate level of staffing/counselors. This was a bad idea with good intentions that ended tragically. May we never know any more such tragedy.

One of the first items that I recall learning in First Aid training is that one should NEVER attempt to do what this Rabbi tried -- without EXTENSIVE training. Fighting against a rip tide is a dangerous activity and can easily lead to a loss of TWO lives instead of just one.
Unless this Rabbi was TRAINED as a lifeguard (and, perhaps, he did in which case this is simply a very tragic and sad incident), I feel compelled to ask: Was it truly "proper" to endanger (and ultimately LOSE) his own life?
This is a sad and tragic episode and -- in addition to praising the selflessness of this Rabbi who tried to save a life -- there are several lessons to be learned here. Sadly, one of them is that "lifesaving" is a SKILL which requires special training and trying to "save a life" without that training may lead to the loss of one's OWN life....

and he should not have been in that position to begin with he should never have been told to take the children to an unsupervised body of water or even an unmanned State park. Most daycamps I know of go to amusement centers or water parks WITH staffing. Or farms WITH staffing. Not as beautiful as a State park but much safer. Unfortunately there will be fallout the camp will have to answer for this. Meanwhile let's try to support the Rabbi's family as much as possible they need our help. The child he rescued will need counseling he will forever carry this.

BDE and may his memory be a blessing!

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So sorry for this tragedy. He was a true selfless hero. Hope his wife and children and parents have the strength in this most difficult time.

I am agreed that more precautions needs to be taken with the summer camp trips to avoid further tragedies.

I have known of Rabbi Bauman for a few years, as he has taken his five sweet children to school each morning. He always was a very kind and loving gentleman, with a profound sense of faith. It doesn’t surprise me that he saved the young man in the ocean. Rabbi Bauman always helped others. Prayers of peace and love for Mrs. Bauman and the children. PS. Toras Chaim School is located in Portsmouth, Virginia. (Not Norfolk)

i am glad that tehillim and massive effort at least brought the body back for a levaya. to make his passing count even more let the word go out to all camps that lifeguard in appropriate proportion be mandatory on all these summer trips to prevent these tragedies.