מי כעמך ישראל

I sincerely hope and pray that none of my readers ever need to see the inside of a hospital bikur cholim room, so I am going to take you on a virtual tour.....

I spent all last Shabbos repeating and repeating the phrase

מי כעמך ישראל due, in large part, to two most worthy organizations, Satmar Bikur Cholim and Chesed of New Square.

To say that the Bikur Cholim rooms they maintain are well stocked would be the understatement of the century. There is no truer chessed that that which is done generously and with warmth.

Upon entering the spacious chessed room, you cannot help but notice the stacks of Jewish Press and Hamodia papers. The large refrigerator is stocked with dozens of cartons of orange juice, dozens of containers of milk, an entire shelf of small grape juice bottles, drink boxes, apple sauce and borekas. There is a drawer full of potato chips, a cabinet full of cake products and rolls, another cabinet stacked high and deep with noodle soup cups of every flavor. There is a hot water machine and an array of cofee, teas and fixings. There are two microwaves - one for milk and one for meat. There is a commercial sized warming oven, filled with containers of chicken noodle soup, cholent and kugels. There are labels, foil and markers for your own food. Two tables covered with bright cloths stand in the middle of the room. Everything is sparkling clean.

When people have loved ones in the hospital, they invariably feel very vulnerable. This kind of generous concern acts as a balm for very raw and frayed nerves.

In the merit of the selfless, generous and kind acts of these women and those that support their good works, may we be zoche to the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and the geulah sheleimah quickly in our days.....