[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TEN CONSTITUENTS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 28, 2006

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great sadness in my heart. 
On Wednesday, March 22, 2006, ten of my constituents were killed in an 
accident that has left a tight knit community in New Jersey full of 
grief, and reflecting on fond memories of those who have departed.
  Today my prayers are with those our community has lost: Marvin Bier 
and Shirley Bier, Hans Wilhelm O. Eggers and Maria Eggers, Arthur Kovar 
and Frieda Kovar, Robert Rubin and Barbara Rubin, Marion Diamond, and 
Carrole E. Ruchelman. Each of these people embraced life and we will 
miss them greatly.
  In the wonderful years of retirement, these residents of the Ponds, 
in Monroe Township, New Jersey, sought out new parts of the world. Last 
week, they were on a cruise that took them to Chile, where they opted 
to take a bus to explore an enticing part of that country. In a 
horrible accident, the bus rolled off an embankment.
  In addition to those killed, we must also pray for Bernard Diamond 
and Harold Ruchelman, who survived the terrible crash that took the 
lives of their wives. These two men will need the support of our 
community. We must give them our love and help them deal with the 
seemingly insurmountable sorrow they must feel.
  My prayers are also with the family members, relatives, and neighbors 
of those affected by this accident. This week has reminded us of the 
preciousness of each moment, and how many of the unexpected events that 
change our lives remain out of our control. It reinforces the need to 
remain humble in the eyes of God and to take each day and live it as if 
a gift from God. This was the spirit in which each of these ten New 
Jersey residents traveled with B'nai B'rith on their South American 
cruise. They left the safety and comfort of the Ponds to explore a new 
part of the world. They are now on their final journey and safe in 
God's hands.
  Today is a day for reflection and for contemplation. While we have 
pain and grief today, tomorrow we must work to find internal peace with 
the events of last week. As Psalm 23 reminds us, ``surely goodness and 
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: I will dwell in the 
house of the Lord forever.'' It is not easy today, and it will not be 
easy tomorrow, but we need to embrace the grace that exists and make 
the most of our lives, building upon the memory of those we have lost. 
As Moses reminds us in Deuteronomy, ``be strong and of good courage. 
Fear not, for God will go with you. He will not fail you. He will not 
forsake you.''

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