Mount Sinai South Nassau dedicates new Sabbath House

Mount Sinai South Nassau celebrated the dedication of its new Sabbath House on Sept. 12, honoring longtime supporters Iris and Shalom Maidenbaum. Located on the hospital campus, the facility offers a sanctuary for Jewish families and other visitors seeking a place to stay while their loved ones receive treatment.

The Sabbath House recently relocated to larger quarters, at 2500 Washington Ave., near the hospital’s Washington Avenue entrance. It is designed to serve observant Jewish families that cannot travel on the Sabbath, addressing both religious obligations (like visiting the sick) and logistics (such as proximity to the hospital and Kosher food).

For the Maidenbaums, the dedication had deep personal significance. As members of the Nassau County Jewish community, their contributions to the hospital have enabled it to better serve the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and visitors.

“I feel very privileged to be part of this community-wide supported project,” Shalom said. “It’s essential for the non-traveling-on-Sabbath community. It’s something that we don’t see in today’s world — everybody supports it. I haven’t heard one bad or negative word about it, and we hope that it continues to serve the needs of observance.”

The Sabbath House Committee also includes Dr. Rajiv Datta; Chaplain Grace Dillon; Dr. Alan Garely; Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, chairman of the hospital’s Department of Medicine; Sondra Gottesman; Dr. Jay Itzkowitz; Kaila Kelman; Rabbi Jonathan Muskat; Dr. Samuel Sandowski; and Dr. Ari Steiner. The group is leading the effort to raise funds for the ongoing renovation and maintenance of the Sabbath House.

“The Jewish community, which makes use of the hospital to a great degree, because of their unique spiritual needs, also need to be close by on the Sabbath, so they can stay in comfort while they’re dealing with so much stress with their loved ones who are in the hospital,” Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich, of Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence, said.

In addition to the Sabbath House, the Mount Sinai South Nassau Jewish Communities Program offers a Kosher Pantry and Respite Room, in collaboration with the Achiezer Community Resource Center, and helps schedule rabbinical emergency visits and facilitate access to all Shabbat hospitality, kosher food and other ritual needs. The recently expanded and renovated pantry is accessible 24 hours a day and has a secure Hebrew lock.

The hospital stocks the room regularly with Tehillim (the Hebrew title for the book of Psalms, meaning “songs of praise”) chumashim (the printed version of the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy); freshly prepared kosher foods and beverages; and Shabbat and holiday necessities, such as battery-operated Shabbat candles and menorahs (in accordance with hospital safety regulations).

“Both the Sabbath House and Kosher Pantry and Respite Room can be used as a resting place for family members and Mount Sinai South Nassau celebrated the dedication of its new Sabbath House on Sept. 12, honoring longtime supporters Iris and Shalom Maidenbaum. Located on the hospital campus, the facility offers a sanctuary for Jewish families and other visitors seeking a place to stay while their loved ones receive treatment.

The Sabbath House recently relocated to larger quarters, at 2500 Washington Ave., near the hospital’s Washington Avenue entrance. It is designed to serve observant Jewish families that cannot travel on the Sabbath, addressing both religious obligations (like visiting the sick) and logistics (such as proximity to the hospital and Kosher food).

For the Maidenbaums, the dedication had deep personal significance. As members of the Nassau County Jewish community, their contributions to the hospital have enabled it to better serve the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and visitors.

“I feel very privileged to be part of this community-wide supported project,” Shalom said. “It’s essential for the non-traveling-on-Sabbath community. It’s something that we don’t see in today’s world — everybody supports it. I haven’t heard one bad or negative word about it, and we hope that it continues to serve the needs of observance.”

The Sabbath House Committee also includes Dr. Rajiv Datta; Chaplain Grace Dillon; Dr. Alan Garely; Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, chairman of the hospital’s Department of Medicine; Sondra Gottesman; Dr. Jay Itzkowitz; Kaila Kelman; Rabbi Jonathan Muskat; Dr. Samuel Sandowski; and Dr. Ari Steiner. The group is leading the effort to raise funds for the ongoing renovation and maintenance of the Sabbath House.

“The Jewish community, which makes use of the hospital to a great degree, because of their unique spiritual needs, also need to be close by on the Sabbath, so they can stay in comfort while they’re dealing with so much stress with their loved ones who are in the hospital,” Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich, of Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence, said.

In addition to the Sabbath House, the Mount Sinai South Nassau Jewish Communities Program offers a Kosher Pantry and Respite Room, in collaboration with the Achiezer Community Resource Center, and helps schedule rabbinical emergency visits and facilitate access to all Shabbat hospitality, kosher food and other ritual needs. The recently expanded and renovated pantry is accessible 24 hours a day and has a secure Hebrew lock.

The hospital stocks the room regularly with Tehillim (the Hebrew title for the book of Psalms, meaning “songs of praise”) chumashim (the printed version of the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy); freshly prepared kosher foods and beverages; and Shabbat and holiday necessities, such as battery-operated Shabbat candles and menorahs (in accordance with hospital safety regulations).

“Both the Sabbath House and Kosher Pantry and Respite Room can be used as a resting place for family members and friends during a time of emergency, an extended stay for a patient, or for those who live a distance from the hospital,” Glatt, who is also associate rabbi at Young Israel of Woodmere, said.

To meet the dietary needs of patients and their families, the hospital’s Food and Nutrition Department offers a full kosher menu, and serves glatt kosher meals on request, as well as frozen kosher entrees for those who arrive after hours. Freshly prepared kosher food is also available for purchase in the hospital’s coffee and gift shop.

“Thankfully, I’ve never personally needed (Sabbath House), but I feel for many who did, and it’s been a tremendous gift for the hospital and gift to our community,” Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, of the Chabad of the Five Towns, said.

“There’s a very strong Jewish community within the area, and they have certain specific needs that are challenging if we don’t offer assistance to meet during the Sabbath,” the hospital’s president, Adhi Sharma, added. “Family visitation is an important part of the recovery and the healing of our patients, and we’re committed to that. And spirituality, it is also an important part of many people’s recovery and healing. So this house allows us to address both.”

The Maidenbaums recently made a significant gift to the hospital to establish the Maidenbaum Health Care Heroes Plaza, honoring health care workers who cared for thousands of critically ill patients during the coronavirus pandemic. The gift from the Maidenbaums, and the Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group LLC, will support Mount Sinai South Nassau’s ongoing effort to bring high-level specialty care to the South Shore, so residents and their families don’t have to travel to New York City or north for advanced treatment.

“I’ve lived here my entire life, and while, thankfully, I’ve never had a loved one in the hospital for an extended period of time, I know that many in our community have,” said Amy Madmon, a senior partner of the Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, LLC. “To know there’s a safe haven for people who are going through such difficult moments — where they can rest and be surrounded by others in similar situations — is incredible.” during a time of emergency, an extended stay for a patient, or for those who live a distance from the hospital,” Glatt, who is also associate rabbi at Young Israel of Woodmere, said.

To meet the dietary needs of patients and their families, the hospital’s Food and Nutrition Department offers a full kosher menu, and serves glatt kosher meals on request, as well as frozen kosher entrees for those who arrive after hours. Freshly prepared kosher food is also available for purchase in the hospital’s coffee and gift shop.

“Thankfully, I’ve never personally needed (Sabbath House), but I feel for many who did, and it’s been a tremendous gift for the hospital and gift to our community,” Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, of the Chabad of the Five Towns, said.

“There’s a very strong Jewish community within the area, and they have certain specific needs that are challenging if we don’t offer assistance to meet during the Sabbath,” the hospital’s president, Adhi Sharma, added. “Family visitation is an important part of the recovery and the healing of our patients, and we’re committed to that. And spirituality, it is also an important part of many people’s recovery and healing. So this house allows us to address both.”

The Maidenbaums recently made a significant gift to the hospital to establish the Maidenbaum Health Care Heroes Plaza, honoring health care workers who cared for thousands of critically ill patients during the coronavirus pandemic. The gift from the Maidenbaums, and the Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group LLC, will support Mount Sinai South Nassau’s ongoing effort to bring high-level specialty care to the South Shore, so residents and their families don’t have to travel to New York City or north for advanced treatment.

“I’ve lived here my entire life, and while, thankfully, I’ve never had a loved one in the hospital for an extended period of time, I know that many in our community have,” said Amy Madmon, a senior partner of the Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, LLC. “To know there’s a safe haven for people who are going through such difficult moments — where they can rest and be surrounded by others in similar situations — is incredible.”