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I recently spent 24 hours in Columbia-Prebatyrian (sorry I can’t spell)Hospital with my daughter. I want to publically thank the Satmar Bikur Cholim and the Chesed of New Square (New Square B.C.) for their amazing work.
The Chesed of New Square maintains a Bikur Cholim room in the hospital. 24/7 there is coffee, tea, cake, sandwiches, yoghurts and so much more available. There was also children’s and adult’s books and sphorim and sedurim (askenaz and sfard!). I can’t tell you how great it made me feel to be able to get something to eat.
The Satmar Bikur Cholim sent 2 amazing meals. I don’t even know how they knew we were there, but Monday afternoon, after the worst was over with my daughter (Chasdai Hashem!) an amazing woman knocked at the door and brought us food! When my daughter was finally able to have liquids, she had this delicious, homemade soup. It was mamish mechayai masim!
On an interesting note, there was a very nice nurse who told me that she worked in Beth Israel hospital for many years, and she couldn’t help noticing the difference between the reaction of the frum patients as opposed to the secular patients in sad cases as we faced. She said the frum people were more accepting of the bad. This made for faster emotional recovery.
The Rebonon Shel Olam should send all His children a good year filled with health, nachas, simchos, parnassa and Mosiach b’korov!
Ata echad u`shemo echad
You are One and Your Name is One;
U’mi k’amcha Yisrael, Goi echad ba’aretz
and who is like Your people Israel, one nation on earth.
Peres Gedulah Vaateres Yeshuah
The splendor of greatness and the crown of salvation,
Yom Menucha Ukdisha (oy) Liyamka Nototo
the day of contentment and holiness have You given to Your people.
Avraham Yagel Yitzchak Yeranen
Avraham would rejoice, Yitzchak would exult,
Yaakov uvanav yanuchu vo
Yaakov and his children would rest on it.
I feel it’s right in place during those yomin kedoshim to share my recent pleasant experience of “mi k’amcho yisroel”. it would be an honor for me to be able to draw in a few words a preview of the real beautiful colors of “am yisroel” in those high and holy days.
My small daughter was admitted to the hospital and remained hospitalized for about a week, to receive the required treatment. even though I had no experience whatsoever how to deal with the situation, and what to do first, I was contacted to some known volunteers (but were unknown to me), tzadikim and tzidkonios of klal yisroel, and I was simply amazed of how big and special yiddishe people are!
to make the long story short, through-out those very long and painful days, I had so many organizations and private volunteers help me out physically and morally. I just don’t know where to start, should It be the special referral organizations, medical coordinators, or the angels of Hatzolah, Satmar bikur cholim, Chesed of New Square, Chai lifeline, Chesed transit, Mekimi, and much more.. starting with transportation, all sorts of coordination, to full kosher meals and snacks delivered twice a day to our room, shabos arrangemants, sleeping companions and chizuk, and much much more.
I am still numb from my – non easy – experience, and at the same time I’m all moved by the unbelievable chesed of our choshuva volunteers, they spent, and they keep on spending their precious time, heart and money for people they don’t even know! may it be early morning or late at night, they were always there for us, as they always are for other hundreds of patients.
may hashem grant them and all of klal yisroel with a chag someach, a happy and healthy year.
I had a mixed experience with Bikur Cholims.
My wife was in Mt. Sinai hospital for a number of weeks, due to a difficult and complicated pregnancy. The bikur cholim gave her daily food, people came to visit, etc. The volunteers were fantastic!
However, not all of them were so great. One day, I drove in to visit my wife. Now, there is on-street parking by the hospital on 5th Avenue, with meters. usually you can find a spot. That day, I circled around for close to 15 minutes. Finally, I saw someone getting into his car to leave. I pulled over behind him. After he pulled out, I put on my turn signal, pulled in front of the spot, and shifted into reverse to back into the spot. Well, a van comes up behind me and blocks me from the spot. I honk, but he doesn’t move. Finally, he tries to pull in head-first. It wasn’t pretty, but he somehow managed to do it, going up onto the sidewalk in the process. Anyway, on my next circle around, I found a spot. It was around the corner, not right in front like the first spot had been.
I walked to the hospital, and when I passed the van, I saw a chassidish man unloading food. the van had “Satmar Bikur Cholim” written on the side. I told the man he stole my parking spot. He replied that he needed to deliver the food, and the spot was too good to pass up, as the food can get heavy. I told him to enjoy the “reward” he’d get for delivering his food that day, as I did not forgive him for stealing my spot.
As I said, most volunteers really were great. They gave my wife food daily, and even provided food for me when I was there for Shabbos. However, some people think that because they’re doing a mitzvah, it gives them the right to do some pretty terrible things.
The Chasidim are big into all sorts of Chesed.
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