A 70-year-old rabbi suffered hip and head injuries when a hit-and-run driver struck him in West Hempstead Monday night.

The incident happened around 7:30 p.m. outside the Young Israel Jewish Center on Hempstead Avenue.

Police say the driver hit Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer as he was walking outside the temple. Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun says the rabbi was thrown approximately 35 feet from where he was initially struck. He was not using a crosswalk at the time he was struck.

Detectives say they are searching for a white Dodge Ram pickup truck. They say it may have damage to the front end on the driver's side.

According to police, the 70-year-old victim is in stable condition.

Rabbi Kelemer has reportedly led the Orthodox congregation for 30 years. Congregants at the synagogue are calling on the driver to turn him or herself in.

"The demands on him are amazing, but he has the gift and the blessing to take care of all us," says Debbie Ginsberg, of West Hempstead.

Detectives say they are reviewing surveillance footage in the area in an effort to find the suspect. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.