ROFEH Dinner Hamodia PDF
1
12 CHESHVAN 5771 Community OCTOBER 20, 2010 HAMODIA C27 By Gavriel Horan August 19, 2003 is a day the Taubenfeld family of New Square will never forget. Their lives changed forever that day when a Palestinian terrorist blew himself up on the Number 2 bus on the way back from the Kosel, spewing hundreds of deadly ball-bearings into the air, tragically killing Mrs. Taubenfeld and her infant son, along with eighteen others. Batsheva Taubenfeld, age 15 at the time, would have been count- ed among the victims had she not gotten up to give her seat to an elderly woman a few moments before the attack. Fortunately, her life was spared, but she was seriously injured by shrapnel to the face. She was rushed to the hospital to treat her many wounds, including a detached retina. If not treated immediate- ly, it could lead to permanent blindness. Unfortunately, the complicat- ed operation was unsuccessful. The Skverer Rebbe, shlita, advised Rabbi Taubenfeld to immediately fly his daughter to Boston to receive treatments from one of the top optical sur- geons in the world. The Chesed organization in New Square con- nected them to ROFEH International, a comprehensive medical referral and bikur cholim service founded by the Bostoner Rebbe, Harav Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, zt”l. “Call ROFEH and they will take care of everything you need,” they told Rabbi Taubenfeld. It was no exaggeration. “They literally took care of everything, with such chein and ahavas Yisrael,” he recalled. “My family was so broken after this tragedy and the Bostoner Rebbe, zt”l, and Rav Naftali, the current Rebbe, shlita, made us feel so good.” They arrived in Boston two days before Rosh Hashanah, and after a grueling seven hours in the operating room, Batsheva’s eye was saved! She spent Rosh Hashanah recuperating in one of ROFEH’s many five-star guest rooms. During Rosh Hashanah, she made her way down to the Rebbe’s Yom Tov tisch. When the Rebbe heard that she was there, he had the gabbai push his wheel- chair up to the women’s section and he proceeded to pour brachos upon her and her family. “I was so sick at the time,” Batsheva recalled, “but the Rebbe and everyone else at ROFEH were so warm and will- ing to help that it really helped us pull through those challenging times. When Hashem gives you a nisayon, He’s right there with you to help you through it.” Today, after close to a dozen surgeries and countless trips to Boston, she is married with two children and, baruch Hashem, is one hundred- percent healthy, thanks in part to the caring devotion of ROFEH. Built from the Bostoner Rebbe’s love of every Jew and his sincere desire to help them, the ROFEH organization was a trail- blazer in the field of medical referral organizations in America. Boston is home to over a dozen of the top medical centers in America, boasting some of the most renowned doctors in the world, making it an international hub for travelers from near and far seeking medical attention. ROFEH offers over a dozen fully equipped apartments for patients and families, daily home- cooked kosher meals, translation services, transportation, appoint- ment assistance and more to over 600 Jews visiting Boston for med- ical treatments each year. The most unique aspect of ROFEH is not its impressive num- bers, devoted and knowledgeable staff, or flawless service. Rather, it is the fact that ROFEH offers patients and their families the warmth of a home away from home during their stay in Boston to give them the strength to per- severe during their time of need. The Bostoner Rebbe’s vision of chessed and compassion for every single Jew imbues ROFEH to the very core. “The Rebbe was a magnet for people and he loved them,” Ohr Somayach lecturer Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb explained. “This was his avodah — to be close to people and to lift them up. Chessed was the theme of his life.”The Rebbe often pointed out that Chassidus comes from the word chessed, kindness — “that’s what chas- sidim do,” he would say. He defined chessed as “knowing what a person needs and taking care of it before they even know they need it.” Over his more than half-a-cen- tury-long tenure as spiritual leader to the Boston community, the Rebbe developed an intimate knowledge of Boston’s numerous medical centers due to his con- stant interaction with medical students and doctors who passed through his auspices. When Rabbis from around the world began to refer patients to the Rebbe, he and his very tal- ented Rebbetzin Raichel housed dozens of visitors in their own home, providing for their physical and spiritual needs while offering them sound advice and emotional support. When their services grew too large to run in their own home, the Rebbe purchased a building just a few doors down from the shul. Thus ROFEH International was born — an acronym for Reaching Out, Furnishing Emergency Health Care — which is what ROFEH is all about. The Rebbe, zt”l, once remarked, “It’s the only place in the world where you have a dozen apartments available for visitors. They’re not only given a bed- room, but a community support system, including the shul, the davening, the Shabbos and the singing. It gives them a new life!” Today, Harav Naftali Y. Horowitz, shlita, has taken over the Bostoner kehillah in Boston, following directly in his father’s footsteps. “Bostoner Chassidus’s philosophy is intimately connect- ed to chessed,” Rav Naftali explains. “What could be more spiritual than helping your fellow Jew — refuas hanefesh u’refuas haguf! The Rebbe, zt”l, always felt that he was a shaliach of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who placed him here in Boston for a good rea- son: in order to help his fellow Jews. He viewed his work at ROFEH as one of his main mis- sions in life.Through the auspices of everybody here, let us hope that ROFEH will continue the good work that my father was able to start and which he would want to continue.” Under the capable direction of the Rebbe, shlita, ROFEH has recruited a talented new Executive Director, Rabbi Nachum Leib Sacks, to help expand their operations and to continue his father’s life’s work. “Although we have relied on the good will of many notable members of the Boston communi- ty until this point, we now have the infrastructure to do so much more for our patients by organiz- ing a steady team of community- wide volunteers,” Rabbi Sacks explained. In the near future, they plan to offer regular trans- portation to and from hospitals, considering that taxis can cost more than $40 a day, adding up to hundreds of dollars in unexpect- ed expenses in just a short time. Additionally, ROFEH is cur- rently designing a comprehensive program to provide entertain- ment and leisure activities for families and children who are often forced to spend long amounts of time away from home. The program will offer daily organized trips to parks, muse- ums and historical sites for patients and their families, to make the recovery period much more pleasurable and stimulat- ing. Plans also include offering services for homebound elderly people in the area, including transportation, meals, holiday- related events and home visits. “Our mission is to provide our patients with a home away from home while they are in Boston, in the most dignified and respectful manner,” Rabbi Sacks said. “They don’t feel like they are in a for- eign place and that gives them the strength to go on during these trying times. The physical needs of the patients are benefited when they have their family’s support. At ROFEH, we are sup- plying the families with physical and emotional support to, in turn, help the patients.” In commemoration of the upcoming first yahrtzeit of the Rebbe, ROFEH’s annual dinner in November is devoted to the legacy that the Rebbe left behind. His legacy remains in the hearts of the countless baalei teshuvah he inspired throughout the years, in the two kehillos that he founded, based on his philoso- phy of love for every Jew, and in ROFEH, a mosad that redefines what chessed is all about. The Lessers, currently located in Lakewood, were forced to come to Boston from Eretz Yisrael after their daughter fell and required immediate hip surgery. They initially found it difficult to get admitted into Children’s Hospital of Boston, but as soon as ROFEH got on the case, they were immediately accepted. “We haven’t needed any other contact or connection from the moment we called ROFEH,” Mrs. Lesser explained. “The staff was so helpful, reliable, efficient and organized in every way. They work on such a personal level with so much care and concern. Accommodations were perfect to a T — from the beautiful apart- ments down to the home-cooked meals and Havdalah kits. Even if we ever had opportunities to stay elsewhere, we always chose ROFEH.” Mrs. Lesser pointed out that even the smallest details were considered to make them feel ever more welcome. Their first time at ROFEH, she noticed that the envelope that contained their room number and combination was decorated colorfully by hand. “Someone actually sat there and colored it for us — they didn’t need to do that! They really do it with a heart — it’s not just busi- ness as usual. I can’t begin to tell you how nourished and well- cared-for we feel. You should never need it, but if you do, ROFEH is there for you!” ROFEH International is carry- ing on its vital work to ensure that every Jew in need of medical assistance has a home away from home in Boston. For reservations at the ROFEH Legacy Dinner or to purchase an ad in their jour- nal, please contact Rabbi Sacks at: ROFEH International, 1710 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02445-2124, tel. 617-566-1900 or email [email protected] ROFEH International in Boston — Redefining Chessed The previous Bostoner Rebbe, Harav Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, zt”l. ROFEH building at 1730 Beacon Street, Brookline, Mass. Children’s Hospital of Boston. The current Bostoner Rebbe, Harav Naftali Horowitz, shlita.
-
Upload
gavrielhoran -
Category
Documents
-
view
74 -
download
1
Transcript of ROFEH Dinner Hamodia PDF
12 CHESHVAN 5771 Community OCTOBER 20, 2010HAMODIA C27
By Gavriel Horan
August 19, 2003 is a day theTaubenfeld family of New Squarewill never forget. Their liveschanged forever that day when aPalestinian terrorist blew himselfup on the Number 2 bus on theway back from the Kosel, spewinghundreds of deadly ball-bearingsinto the air, tragically killing Mrs.Taubenfeld and her infant son,along with eighteen others.
Batsheva Taubenfeld, age 15 atthe time, would have been count-ed among the victims had she notgotten up to give her seat to anelderly woman a few momentsbefore the attack. Fortunately,her life was spared, but she wasseriously injured by shrapnel tothe face. She was rushed to thehospital to treat her manywounds, including a detachedretina. If not treated immediate-ly, it could lead to permanentblindness.
Unfortunately, the complicat-ed operation was unsuccessful.The Skverer Rebbe, shlita,advised Rabbi Taubenfeld toimmediately fly his daughter toBoston to receive treatmentsfrom one of the top optical sur-geons in the world. The Chesedorganization in New Square con-nected them to ROFEHInternational, a comprehensivemedical referral and bikur cholimservice founded by the BostonerRebbe, Harav Levi YitzchakHorowitz, zt”l. “Call ROFEH andthey will take care of everythingyou need,” they told RabbiTaubenfeld.
It was no exaggeration. “Theyliterally took care of everything,with such chein and ahavasYisrael,” he recalled. “My familywas so broken after this tragedyand the Bostoner Rebbe, zt”l, andRav Naftali, the current Rebbe,shlita, made us feel so good.”
They arrived in Boston twodays before Rosh Hashanah, andafter a grueling seven hours inthe operating room, Batsheva’seye was saved! She spent RoshHashanah recuperating in one ofROFEH’s many five-star guestrooms. During Rosh Hashanah,she made her way down to theRebbe’s Yom Tov tisch. When theRebbe heard that she was there,he had the gabbai push his wheel-chair up to the women’s sectionand he proceeded to pour brachosupon her and her family.
“I was so sick at the time,”Batsheva recalled, “but theRebbe and everyone else atROFEH were so warm and will-ing to help that it really helped uspull through those challengingtimes. When Hashem gives you anisayon, He’s right there with youto help you through it.” Today,after close to a dozen surgeriesand countless trips to Boston, sheis married with two children and,baruch Hashem, is one hundred-percent healthy, thanks in part tothe caring devotion of ROFEH.
Built from the BostonerRebbe’s love of every Jew and hissincere desire to help them, theROFEH organization was a trail-blazer in the field of medicalreferral organizations in America.Boston is home to over a dozen ofthe top medical centers inAmerica, boasting some of themost renowned doctors in the
world, making it an internationalhub for travelers from near andfar seeking medical attention.
ROFEH offers over a dozenfully equipped apartments forpatients and families, daily home-cooked kosher meals, translationservices, transportation, appoint-ment assistance and more to over600 Jews visiting Boston for med-ical treatments each year.
The most unique aspect ofROFEH is not its impressive num-bers, devoted and knowledgeablestaff, or flawless service. Rather,it is the fact that ROFEH offerspatients and their families thewarmth of a home away from
home during their stay in Bostonto give them the strength to per-severe during their time of need.The Bostoner Rebbe’s vision ofchessed and compassion for everysingle Jew imbues ROFEH to thevery core.
“The Rebbe was a magnet forpeople and he loved them,” OhrSomayach lecturer Rabbi DovidGottlieb explained. “This was hisavodah — to be close to peopleand to lift them up. Chessed wasthe theme of his life.” The Rebbeoften pointed out that Chassiduscomes from the word chessed,kindness — “that’s what chas-sidim do,” he would say. He
defined chessed as “knowing whata person needs and taking care ofit before they even know theyneed it.”
Over his more than half-a-cen-tury-long tenure as spiritualleader to the Boston community,the Rebbe developed an intimateknowledge of Boston’s numerousmedical centers due to his con-stant interaction with medicalstudents and doctors who passedthrough his auspices.
When Rabbis from around theworld began to refer patients tothe Rebbe, he and his very tal-ented Rebbetzin Raichel houseddozens of visitors in their ownhome, providing for their physicaland spiritual needs while offeringthem sound advice and emotionalsupport.
When their services grew toolarge to run in their own home,the Rebbe purchased a buildingjust a few doors down from theshul. Thus ROFEH Internationalwas born — an acronym forReaching Out, FurnishingEmergency Health Care — whichis what ROFEH is all about.
The Rebbe, zt”l, onceremarked, “It’s the only place inthe world where you have a dozenapartments available for visitors.They’re not only given a bed-room, but a community supportsystem, including the shul, thedavening, the Shabbos and thesinging. It gives them a newlife!”
Today, Harav Naftali Y.Horowitz, shlita, has taken overthe Bostoner kehillah in Boston,following directly in his father’sfootsteps. “Bostoner Chassidus’sphilosophy is intimately connect-ed to chessed,” Rav Naftaliexplains. “What could be morespiritual than helping your fellowJew — refuas hanefesh u’refuashaguf! The Rebbe, zt”l, always feltthat he was a shaliach ofHakadosh Baruch Hu, who placedhim here in Boston for a good rea-son: in order to help his fellowJews. He viewed his work atROFEH as one of his main mis-sions in life.Through the auspicesof everybody here, let us hopethat ROFEH will continue thegood work that my father wasable to start and which he wouldwant to continue.”
Under the capable direction ofthe Rebbe, shlita, ROFEH hasrecruited a talented newExecutive Director, RabbiNachum Leib Sacks, to helpexpand their operations and tocontinue his father’s life’s work.
“Although we have relied onthe good will of many notablemembers of the Boston communi-ty until this point, we now havethe infrastructure to do so muchmore for our patients by organiz-ing a steady team of community-wide volunteers,” Rabbi Sacksexplained. In the near future,they plan to offer regular trans-portation to and from hospitals,considering that taxis can costmore than $40 a day, adding up tohundreds of dollars in unexpect-ed expenses in just a short time.
Additionally, ROFEH is cur-rently designing a comprehensiveprogram to provide entertain-ment and leisure activities forfamilies and children who areoften forced to spend longamounts of time away from home.
The program will offer dailyorganized trips to parks, muse-ums and historical sites forpatients and their families, tomake the recovery period muchmore pleasurable and stimulat-ing. Plans also include offeringservices for homebound elderlypeople in the area, includingtransportation, meals, holiday-related events and home visits.
“Our mission is to provide ourpatients with a home away fromhome while they are in Boston, inthe most dignified and respectfulmanner,” Rabbi Sacks said.“Theydon’t feel like they are in a for-eign place and that gives themthe strength to go on during thesetrying times. The physical needsof the patients are benefitedwhen they have their family’ssupport. At ROFEH, we are sup-plying the families with physicaland emotional support to, in turn,help the patients.”
In commemoration of theupcoming first yahrtzeit of theRebbe, ROFEH’s annual dinnerin November is devoted to thelegacy that the Rebbe leftbehind. His legacy remains in thehearts of the countless baaleiteshuvah he inspired throughoutthe years, in the two kehillos thathe founded, based on his philoso-phy of love for every Jew, and inROFEH, a mosad that redefineswhat chessed is all about.
The Lessers, currently locatedin Lakewood, were forced tocome to Boston from Eretz Yisraelafter their daughter fell andrequired immediate hip surgery.They initially found it difficult toget admitted into Children’sHospital of Boston, but as soon asROFEH got on the case, theywere immediately accepted.
“We haven’t needed any othercontact or connection from themoment we called ROFEH,” Mrs.Lesser explained. “The staff wasso helpful, reliable, efficient andorganized in every way. Theywork on such a personal levelwith so much care and concern.Accommodations were perfect toa T — from the beautiful apart-ments down to the home-cookedmeals and Havdalah kits. Even ifwe ever had opportunities to stayelsewhere, we always choseROFEH.”
Mrs. Lesser pointed out thateven the smallest details wereconsidered to make them feelever more welcome. Their firsttime at ROFEH, she noticed thatthe envelope that contained theirroom number and combinationwas decorated colorfully by hand.“Someone actually sat there andcolored it for us — they didn’tneed to do that! They really do itwith a heart — it’s not just busi-ness as usual. I can’t begin to tellyou how nourished and well-cared-for we feel. You shouldnever need it, but if you do,ROFEH is there for you!”
ROFEH International is carry-ing on its vital work to ensurethat every Jew in need of medicalassistance has a home away fromhome in Boston. For reservationsat the ROFEH Legacy Dinner orto purchase an ad in their jour-nal, please contact Rabbi Sacksat: ROFEH International, 1710Beacon Street, Brookline, MA02445-2124, tel. 617-566-1900 oremail [email protected]
ROFEH International in Boston — Redefining Chessed
The previous Bostoner Rebbe,Harav Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, zt”l.
ROFEH building at 1730 Beacon Street, Brookline, Mass.
Children’s Hospital of Boston.
The current Bostoner Rebbe,Harav Naftali Horowitz, shlita.
