Community Mourns Allison Rahmani: Devoted Mother and Teacher Lost in Hewlett Bay Park Crash

Allison Rahmani, a beloved 40-year-old mother of four and dedicated teacher, tragically died on Friday after losing control of her SUV and plunging into a backyard pool in Hewlett Bay Park. The devastating incident occurred as she was preparing to celebrate her 40th birthday, which would have included a surprise trip to Paris with her husband, Matthew Rahmani, with flights booked for Sunday evening.

According to the Nassau County Police Department, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Rahmani lost control of her 2023 GMC in the driveway of a home on Elinor Road. Her vehicle subsequently struck a tree and an unoccupied 2006 Honda before becoming fully immersed in an in-ground pool. Despite receiving treatment at the scene, she was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Police stated on Sunday that their investigation into the exact cause and circumstances leading up to the crash is ongoing, with no updates yet available.

A deeply emotional memorial service was held on Sunday morning at the Boulevard-Riverside Chapels in Hewlett, where a large gathering of friends, family, and colleagues mourned her unexpected passing. Rahmani, a resident of Hewlett Bay Park, was a highly respected math coordinator and teacher at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR). Her friend and fellow HAFTR teacher, Shayna Ungar, shared during the service that Rahmani "didn’t teach because she had to," but rather "she taught because she loved it," highlighting her profound passion for her profession and students.

Rahmani was remembered as a fiercely passionate parent to her four young children: Chloe, Jake, Nathan, and Zachary. Her husband, Matthew Rahmani, spoke of the immense and profound loss he felt, saying, "Ally, I need you to tell me it’s going to be OK. I need your confidence. I need your strength." He had previously surprised her with a birthday Shabbat that she had described as the best of her life, along with the much-anticipated Paris trip.

Friends and family consistently recalled her vibrant "fiery personality" and competitive spirit. Shayna Ungar recounted a humorous anecdote about their concurrent pregnancies, where Rahmani, even while due three weeks later, managed to be in the hospital across the hall from Ungar at the same time, ultimately proclaiming "I win" after her son Zachary's birth. Her older sister, Jamie Scharaga, spoke fondly of how their lives mirrored each other, joking about Rahmani copying her life choices from buying a house in the Five Towns to becoming a teacher, and expressed deep sorrow that "hers would stop following mine." Matthew Rahmani also noted that "around town, I was known as Mrs. Rahmani’s husband for as long as I can remember," underscoring her prominent presence and the significant impact she had on her community.

Rabbi Binyomin Sloviter of the Irving Place Minyan, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Woodmere, closed the service by reflecting on the incomprehensible nature of such a loss, particularly for a young mother taken from her children "far too soon." He acknowledged that while some painful moments in life can be understood with time, "there are moments like this" that defy explanation.