The management of Beilinson Hospital, the hospital rabbi, and the Department of Religion and Kashrut of Clalit Health Services, worki together to arrange and supervise the religious services provided at the hospital - for the benefit of the patients, their families and the general public.
Below is a list of the main religious services operated in the hospital.
Kashrut
- The hospital kitchen is supervised by the Department of Religion and Kashrut of Clalit Health Services - "high standards Kashrut". As a rule, all food products entering to the hospital are carefully examined and purchased from recognized and licensed suppliers only.
- Meat and poultry products arrive only after proper processing, marked and approved by a competent rabbinate and with a valid Kashrut certificate.
- The vegetables and fruits are clear of "Hashah Tevel Veorla" and attached with a kashrut certificate from a certified rabbi, and with the signature of the supervisor.
- Leafy vegetables - in special cultivation, without fear of worms.
- In a Shemittah year - all the vegetables and fruits are clear of "Hashash Shveit" - Shemitah LeMehadrin.
- In the hospital, all the cooking and baking arrangements are supervised by a dedicated supervisor who is always on site. The sifting of flour, checking of legumes, selection of semolina, etc. are done by the supervisor only, using electrical machines designed for this purpose.
- There is complete separation between meat and milk, in the main kitchen (including steam), in the cooking process and in the various departments. The hospital dishes are separate for dairy and meat dishes (including serving trays). There is no indefinite cooking ("Parveh").
- In addition, all the beverage and sandwich vending machines, as well as all the restaurants located in the medical center are supervised and monitored by the Department of Religion and Kashrut.
- Patients asking for Glatt dishes, which arrive packaged and stamped with "Eda HaCharedit" kosher stamp - can be received by order, by contacting the nurses or the auxiliary staff in the department.
Fridays and Saturdays
On Fridays and Saturdays, the hospital shifts to a complete "Shabbat program" with respect to all the needs of the patients and guests in the complex, family members and acquaintances who nurse the patient.
- Candle lighting - every ward has a special safety fixture for candle lighting, including the candle lighting blessing. For candles, contact the nurses in the department. It is forbidden to light candles in the rooms.
- Kiddush and Havdalah - during meal time wine or grape juice for Kiddush and Havdalah are distributed in all the wards. For wine, contact the nurses in the department.
Kiddush takes place during all Shabbat meals in the "Chasdei Yoel" dining room. A central Havdalah takes place in the Great Synagogue after the evening prayers, at the end of Shabbat. - Food and drink - the food cooked for Shabbat and holidays, fully prepared before Shabbat and heated in the central kitchen automatically. In addition, heating of the food portions on the Sabbath, and their distribution (carried out through a special conveyor belt), are performed by a Sabbath clock, with the approval of the Technological Institute for Halacha. Drinking water facilities, that are located in every ward, are approved for use on Sabbath, as per the Halacha without Hashash.
- Shabbat meals - Chasdei Yoel operates a special dining room for hospitalized patients and their accompanying guests for Shabbat and holiday meals, free of charge. It is located on floor (-1) in the Gur Shasha Hospital.
- Special packaged Shabbat meals are available for ordering. They are arranged and organized by Chasdei Yoel charity organization for all the wards. The number of portions required for the patients and the people escorting him/her can be specified by department name and room number - and the meal will be delivered to you.
Chasdei Yael organization pnone No.: 1-800-30-30-44. - Prayers are held in the synagogues, as detailed below.
- Shabbat control - operated throughout the hospital:
Shabbat elevators are available to the public.
A distress bell operates as "grama", with the approval of the halachic institutes.
The kitchen systems are all connected to the Shabbat control.
Electric doors throughout the hospital are neutralized from the beginning of the Sabbath and until its end, or are installed with special controls and signage.
Security checks at the gates are performed by means of a manual device that operates with the approval of religious authorities. - A patient is connected to an electric appliance on Shabbat - there is a "grama" socket, which allows connecting and disconnecting the patient from medical devices on the Sabbath. And is Allowed to be used according to Halacha. In case this does not exist in the ward, contact the hospital rabbi for proper arrangements.
- Patient signaling on Shabbat - In all the new hospitalization wards, a "buzzer" was installed under Sabbath control, to allow the patient to call the nurse or doctor.
- Signing on Shabbat - According to Clalit Health Services procedures, a patient or family members who for religious reasons wish not to sign a consent form, can testify before two witnesses that they are unable to sign because of the sanctity of Shabbat, and the staff is instructed to accept verbal concent. The actual signing will take place on Saturday night.
- Discharge of patients on Shabbat - patients in the emergency room, who for religious reasons cannot be discharged and return home on Shabbat, will not be discharged from the ER. The hospital will take care of these patients according to the hospital practiced arrangements. In addition, according to Clalit Health Services procedure, hospitalized patients and child bearing mothers will not be discharged from the hospital on Shabbat and holidays.
- Accommodation for patients' escorting guests on Shabbat and holidays- Those escorting the patient and nursing him/her are welcome to rest in designated accommodation rooms (separate sections for men and women), open to all guests, overnight or for resting during the day. Additional details are available at the Great Synagogue during prayer times.
- Iruv - In addition to the general Iruv of the city of Petach Tikva, there is an internal hospital Iruv (including the Schneider Children's Medical Center). The Iruv takes place before and is supervised by the Neighborhood Iruvin Committee of Bnei Brak.
Synagogues -
There are two synagogues in the hospital, located on the entrance floor of the hospitalization building - Gur Shasha.
- The Great Synagogue (named after the late Farcha and Moshe Shasha) is located in the hospitalization building - Gur Shasha, on the ground floor, at the end of the main cirridor.
- The small synagogue is located in the hospital building - Gur Shasha on the ground floor, next to the workers' dining room.
Prayer times Weekdays:
In the Great Synagogue -
Shacharit - 7:15 in the Great Synagogue.
"Big" Mincha at 13:20 in the Great Synagogue.
"Small" Mincha - 20 min after sunset - in the Great Synagogue.
Arvit - 20 min after sunset - in the Great Synagogue.
- In the small synagogue -
- Arvit second Minyan - winter time - 19:00/daylight saving time - 20:50
- Torah lessons - held in the Great Synagogue from Sunday to Thursday from 12:45 until Mincha.
Shabbat and holiday services:
In the Great Synagogue -
• Mincha on Shabbat eve - 10 minutes after candle lighting.
• Shacharit - 07:45
• "Big" Mincha - winter time - 12:30/daylight saving time - 13:30.
• "Small" Mincha - winter time - one hour and fifteen minutes before the end of the Shabbat/daylight saving time - an hour and a half before the end of Shabbat.
• Aravit - at the end of the Shabbat.
• All prayer times and Torah lessons schedules are posted on bulletin boards, at the entrances to the synagogue.
Tefillin lending
Tefillin can be borrowed during the morning prayers in the Great Synagogue. In addition, Tefillin can be lent in return for an ID at the information desk in the Gur Shasha hospitalization building, at the information desk at the outpatient clinics building and at the hospital operator post.
Holidays
The hospital rabbi, in cooperation with the management of the medical center, makes sure to maintain holiday atmosphere and customs, according to each holiday.
• Rosh Hashana - Public prayers and shofar blowing - are held in the hospital synagogues. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there are two minyanim in the synagogues: Ashkenazi style Minyan and Sephardic style Minyan. Prayer times are published in the synagogues and bulletin boards throughout the hospital. In addition, shofar blowing is performed in the wards, for patients and staff who are unable to visit the synagogue.
• Yom Kippur - The hospital rabbi assists and advises patients regarding the possibility of fasting, alternate eating, or alternatively regarding the prohibition to fast, according to their condition. The assistance is given together with a doctor (on behalf of the hospital), who provides instructions and a diagnosis according to which the rabbi presents his halachic guidance regarding the fast. Prayer times and halachic instructions are published for patients and maternity patients on all the wards.
• Succot - A large, luxurious, air-conditioned succa is set up in the hospital for the benefit of the patients and their escorting guests.
The four species are distributed on behalf of the hospital in an organized manner at all the various wards.
Simchat Torah - Holiday prayers and traditional Hakafot are held in the Great Synagogue.
• Chanukkah - Each department has a safety menorah. Central candle lighting takes place every evening in the Great Synagogue, as well as in the lobby of the Gur Shasha Building, the Women's Building and the Davidoff Building.
• Tu Bishvat - Dried fruits, with which one can also recite the Shehecheyanu blessing are served to patients in all the wards.
• Purim - As part of the daily prayers, the Megillah reading is held on the night of Purim and on Purim.
• Passover - In preparation for Passover, the hospital undergoes a rigorous preparation process according to halachic rules, under the supervision of the hospital rabbi and with the assistance of yeshiva students.
All Passover dishes are special dishes used only during Passover. During the rest of the year they are stored in a special warehouse designated for this purpose.
There is strict adherence, not to bring chametz to the hospital from the end of the preparation process and until the holiday ends.
• Shavuot - the holiday prayers and the reading of the Book of Ruth are held in the Great Synagogue. In all the departments, cheese cakes and dairy products are distributed to the patients, in the best tradition. The Shavuot night Tikun is held in the small synagogue.
Circumcision
In exceptional medical cases in which circumcision is not possible outside the hospital. It is possible to contact the hospital rabbi, who will assist conducting the circumcision ceremony in a respectable atmosphere.
Demise
- God forbid, upon the death of your loved one - we share your sorrow and hope that you will no longer know sorrow.
- In the synagogue you can find the prayer text Amirat Vidui, as well as a prayer for when the soul departs.
- Kohanim impurity - the Department of Pathology and the Chamber of the Dead are separated from the hospital by means of a complete halachic barrier to prevent permanent impurity that is forbidden to Kohanim.
- For details and burial arrangements, please see attached leaflet.
For more information about religion and Kashrut:
Please contact Rabbi Israel Babchik, the hospital rabbi, by phone: 03-9376043, 050-4193544 or through the hospital switchboard: 03-9377377.
Wishing you perfect health,
The management of Beilinson Hospital
Hospital rabbi
Department of Religion and Kashrut - Clalit Health Services
