Bikur Cholim Breakfast Weaves a Tapestry of Community

Instead of listing all the services that Bikur Cholim provides, three women at the recent Bikur Cholim breakfast bravely showed the audience the tapestry of the different types of people who make up the Bikur Cholim Community.

In the tradition of Chodesh Iyar- the month of Ani Hashem Rofecha- the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Bikur Cholim of Crown Heights held their Annual Women’s Breakfast to celebrate Hope and Healing.

The gorgeously arranged Oholei Torah ballroom was packed to the brim, with additional chairs being added throughout the event. Chani Greenbaum served up a lavish spring brunch, as beloved community Nurse Practitioner Tziporah Clapman led the crowd in Tehillim. Featured speaker Dini Greenberg highlighted the value of community to both the giver and the recipient by describing her shluchos in Shanghai. She recounted how she had to build her own community from scratch in China, and then again decades later in Crown Heights, after her family was temporarily stranded due to covid visa complications.

Rochie Lieberman emceed the program with humor and grace. She brought up the well known adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and pointed out that it takes a village to raise an adult too. As the pandemic has made apparent, we all rely on a village, a community, and what better representation is there of ‘village’ support than the community of Bikur Cholim?

Instead of listing all the services that Bikur Cholim provides, three women- each representing a different thread of Bikur cholim- bravely showed the audience the tapestry of the different types of people who make up the Bikur Cholim Community: Dina Dubrowsky, a Bikur Cholim Volunteer; Mushky Naparstek, who represented a Bikur Cholim Family; and Shani Posner, a Bikur Cholim Supporter. Their inspiring yet relatable talks described each woman’s special connections to Bikur Cholim.

The event was dedicated in memory of Hadassah Lebovic a”h, daughter of board member Esther. The program honored her family’s participation in Bikur Cholim, and Hadassah’s continued legacy of chessed, with the recently established hospitality suite, Hadassah’s Place. Hadassah’s parents made a moving video tribute to their daughter that left the audience emotionally stirred and wanting to continue Hadassah’s legacy.

Bikur Cholim honored the community’s Silent Heroes: Heads of the Shifra & Puah division of Bikur Cholim for many decades–Mrs. Chana Pinson, Mrs. Feigl Jacobson, and Mrs. Sarah Willhelm–as well as two exceptional women who went above and beyond in serving the community this past year–Shiffy Goldstein and Irit Lang.

The event set out to thank the volunteers and donors, highlight the need for bikur cholim services, encourage the community to get involved, and remember Hadassah Lebovic. It succeeded on all fronts. Each guest received a lavender silicone BE KIND FOR HADASSAH bracelet as a souvenir as well as a beautiful playbill listing sponsors and journal entries. VIP guests such as volunteers and donors received an additional gift of key chains labeled Proud Partner of Bikur Cholim.

The event was made possible through the hard work of so many, especially the Bikur Cholim Breakfast Committee: Yael Brummel, Rivka Bryski, Myriam Engelson, Rosie Levertov, Chana Marinovsky, Chani Markowitz, Chanie Marozov & Bella Pliskin as well as the generous sponsorship of Esti Lowenbein of Esther Riezes & Co, the Brummel and Wishedsky families of Silverline, David and Eda Schottenstein Foundation, Aron and Shani Pinson of Equinium, and Shaya and Shani Posner, among many more community donors and vendors.

Bikur Cholim wishes to thank the community of Crown Heights for coming to the event and being so supportive, both at the Breakfast and year round.

To sign up as a Bikur Cholim volunteer, or to continue supporting the services of Bikur Cholim and Hadassah’s Place, please visit BikurCholimCH.org.

Auction Winners:

Yaffie Begun Wig by Leah Loksen- Dora Chen

L. Laine Jewelry – Miriam Feder

Apple Computer- Yisroel Blau

Cancun Vacation- S&M Zalmanov

Rachel Fellig Photoshoot- B Friedman

$1800 Cash Card- Menachem Zakon

Everything But The Baby- Devorah Reices

Color Palette by Jessica- Sara Edelman

Art by Hendel Futerfas- Vera Guttman