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Gov. Phil Murphy, at a daily news briefing Friday, praised the doctor's commitment to practice on the "front lines" during the COVID-19 pandemic and his warm spirit.
Dr. Hirsch served as chief pediatrician at the Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry (CHEMED) in Lakewood, He also had practiced in Manalapan and had connections to Monmouth Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
During his time in Manalapan, Dr. Hirsch was awarded the NJ Top Doctor Award 2011 by NJ Monthly Magazine and the NJ Favorite Kids Doctor 2012 by NJ Family Magazine.
Murphy said Dr. Hirsch was a revered doctor practicing for nearly 30 years. The governor called him a "mensch," using a Yiddish word for a person of integrity and honor.
"Despite concerns about his chance of being exposed to #COVID19, he insisted on continuing to care for every patient who came to help," Murphy said on Twitter. "May his memory be a blessing."
On Facebook, parents of Dr. Hirsch's young patients recalled the popular doctor wearing a stethoscope around his neck with stuffed animals attached to it.
Hirsch was well-known for "his kindness and compassion and the respect he showed his patients and their families," Murphy added.
Dr. Hirsch is survived by his wife, Yehudis Simcha Hirsch.
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