Thursday, August 27, 2009

a ray of positive sunshine

There is sadly too often opportunity to see what is wrong in the jewish world and feel depressingly bad about it all, so it is nice once in awhile to have the opportunity to see real goodness. Tucked away in the hospital where my MIL had open heart surgery this week and is B"H recovering now there is a small chessed room set up for bikur cholim which is stocked with coffee, drinks, cookies and snacks, sandwiches, soup, seforim, etc. Anyone who is visiting the hospital is free to enter and help themselves to whatever they need. There is no cash register, no collection box, no "suggested" donation card. The food is provided by the New Square Bikur Cholim and was being replenished by two women while we were there. As far as I can tell, the only thing the Squarer chassidim get out of the deal is making people's lives that much more tolerable during times of stress and need. This is pure chessed, no strings attached. You want to know what Avraham's tent out there in the wilderness was like? It was like this little bikur cholim room, where just because you are jewish you can feel free to stop in and help yourself, no questions asked.
New Square Bikur Cholim: thank you for the coffee, and thank you even more for this chizuk and reminder of the greatness of klal yisrael.
(And while I'm on the topic, thanks as well to Mrs. Doris (and Reb Johnny) Rothschild, who maintain the Bikur Cholim apt.in the neighborhood and who extend their chessed for Shabbos as well.)

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:50 PM

    Refuah shleima umehira to your mother in law.

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  2. A Refuah to you MIL. Very nice post.

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  3. Not to quibble, because I fully agree and wholeheartedly concur with what R' Chaim has written here, but credit is also due to the Bikur Cholim of New Square who also help stock that amazing room, and to the local Bikur Cholim headed by Mrs. Doris (and Reb Johnny) Rothschild, who maintain the Bikur Cholim apt. where our Uncle Joe loy"t spent Shabbos. B'zchus nashim tzidkaniyos (and a few good men)...

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  4. I thought it was Satmar Bikur Cholim... I'll correct the post.

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  5. Anonymous2:48 PM

    Hi; a refuah shleima,

    I wanted to clarify,

    Between klall yisrael there are more than one, and by not seeing which hospitol I will clarify the bounderies of who is who (it seems from your post you were referring to the satmar bikur choilim as they have the policy of not having a pushka or sign for donations and promotions)

    In NYC its "THE" satmar bikur choilim. Anywhere from food to visits,
    In rockland county vincenty its new square bikur choilim - called chesed of new square where there are also another org (or its them - I think it was laubers org who did the visits to my wife while in sufferen, but the food was I think through chesed of new square.

    In orange county vincenty and to hospitals like valley hospital its the satmar bikur choilim of kiryas joel & a organization which is affiliated to the KJ Hatzualah which are in charge of those rooms.

    So not to take away anything from anyone,

    Thank you all for all you do without the real appreciation

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  6. It's both Satmar and New Square.

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  7. SAM G.9:00 PM

    Chesed of new square is one of the biggest chesed org. I ever met. They are based in rockland county however most of their services are in the manhatten I often go to visit patients in varies hospitals.
    In all major hospitals I encountered a chesed room run by chesed of new square. They stock the room with everything needed. Patients extremely appriciate their services. They allow other organizations to put in food as well. Mi keamchu yisroel

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