Walk through the streets of downtown Baltimore, and you will find endless streets of narrow row houses. Walk down the 500 block of North Washington Street, and you may notice a beautifully renovated building. Behind the doors of 529 North Washington Street, lies a beacon of hope and an oasis in time and space- a structure dedicated to serving Jewish families of seriously ill patients at the nearby world-famous Johns Hopkins Hospital. Welcome to the Tikva House.
Binyamin Kaufman*, a resident of a New Jersey Jewish community, had just received a frightening diagnosis, and needed surgery – soon. The appropriate research led them to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where the doctors informed Mr. Kaufman that it was imperative that he undergo a serious surgery, with a subsequent ten-day hospital stay. Mrs. Kaufman was understandably overwhelmed – although Baltimore has a warm and welcoming Jewish community, that community is a half-hour drive from Hopkins, through downtown streets and across highways. How could she manage to get the accommodations she needed, while still remaining close to her husband? In addition, Mrs. Kaufman desperately wanted the company and support of her two married sons; where could they stay? Then someone told her about the newly opened Tikva House.
“The Tikva House opened just in time for us,” explained Mrs. Kaufman. “It was an incredible haven for us. It was so comfortable, new and fresh, with luxurious furnishings, and delicious food. In addition, it was all kept spotlessly clean, and set up with such sechel and such sensitivity to the needs of a patient's family.
“I spent the nights in my husband's room, but my son stayed in the Tikva House, and would come over at 6:00 a.m., and send me back to get some real rest. It took us less than five minutes to get from the Tikva House to my husband's hospital room, so we could easily run back and forth whenever necessary.
We have returned to Baltimore for appointments several times since then, and the Tikva House is always available - whether for a night's stay or simply for us to rest up and get something to eat after an appointment. It is really one of kind in the United States.”
The Tikva House – A Center of Chessed and Achdus
The Tikva House is a project of The Jewish Caring Network, a Baltimore-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded by Chaya Drabkin and Keren Traub, that has been assisting families with a loved one diagnosed with life-threatening, lifelong, and serious illnesses for the past 17 years. The Tikva House, its latest project, opened in the summer of 2012 under the direction of Stacey Goldenberg.
Since its opening just one year ago, 500 families from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Eretz Yisrael have used this unique facility as a “home away from home,” while family members received treatment at nearby Johns Hopkins Hospital or Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Dr. Henry Brem, Director, Department of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, is effusive in his praise of the Tikva House. “Hopkins is the number one hospital in the United States, and patients come from all over the world to take advantage of the best pediatric and adult services. However, Orthodox Jews may have hesitated, because of the difficulties involved with Shabbos and prolonged stays. The Tikva House has solved that problem, and now, religious people from all over the world can take advantage of our resources.”
The house features a state-of-the-art communal kitchen, which provides full food service for all guests; a common room with a comfortable couch and communal dining area; seven family suites complete with kitchenettes and private bathrooms; a library/playroom fully stocked with sefarim, reading material, and a plethora of toys; laundry rooms, and countless other niceties and amenities – all arranged to ease the plight of family members of seriously ill patients, and allow them to focus fully on their loved ones, each according to his personal needs.
The Tikva House is operated and maintained by a dedicated group of staff and volunteers. Mrs. Libby Lehman, the Tikva House manager, and Mrs. Toby Lipsitz, the Tikva House assistant manager, oversee and monitor the needs of the guests on a daily basis.
Tikva House staff and volunteers are constantly available to the guests, to provide whatever might make their ordeal a bit easier, including emotional support and even medical advocacy.
Furthermore, their assistance is not limited to material needs. The Jewish Caring Network maintains a Tehillim list that contains the names of all cholim who availed themselves of their services and facilities, and the power of all of those tefillos has really made a difference. Many guests have commented that they felt the strength of an army of people rallying in their support, which eased their burden considerably.
The motivation to create the Tikva House came from Stacey. She knows first-hand what it is like to have to stay in a hospital and care for a sick child. “Our son was diagnosed shortly before Pesach with a rare form of leukemia. My husband and I found a place to stay near Hopkins, but there were no facilities that would allow us to bring our other children. We were forced to send away our young daughters to relatives at a time our family needed to stay together.”
With much siyatta diShmaya Stacey's son recovered, but she did not forget her ordeal. She immediately signed on as a volunteer for the Jewish Caring Network, who had helped them during her son’s illness, and two years later was hired as the Director of Operations. Determined to make sure that no other family would have to face the challenges they did, Stacey was the driving force behind the creation and building of the Tikva House. Together with some very dedicated volunteers, she made sure that families would not be separated, and that everyone’s needs would be met with warmth, caring, and sensitivity.
The main donors of the Tikva House, Mr. Ephraim Rubin and Mrs. Anita Preis-Rubin, are also familiar with the difficulties related to chronic illness. “My first husband, Rabbi Ervin Preis, was very seriously ill for over four years, requiring many lengthy in-patient hospital procedures at Hopkins,” recalls Mrs. Rubin. “It was necessary that I be at his bedside as much as possible. When feasible, I slept in his room, but there were many occasions when this was not permitted. At those times, I imposed on some of my physician friends to use their office floor, or I slept in the lobby on an inflated air mattress brought from home. How nice it would have been to have had the privacy of the Tikva House.”
“The achdus that the Tikva House has inspired is incredible”, Chaya Drabkin, co-founder reports. “We get donations from a wide range of people- girls giving their maaser money from summer jobs, boys running fundraisers like snow cone stands and carwashes, friends of Tikva House guests, kollel couples, baalei batim - people from all over the world- everyone is coming together to support the house that supports others.”
Keren Traub, co-founder, explains, “We are thrilled that now, thanks to the many people who donated their time, knowledge, and resources, those who wish to take advantage of this world-class hospital have a pleasant and beautiful place to stay. It is a great zechus for all of us.” The Tikva House staff is not “resting on their laurels,” but keep on trying to make it better and better. In fact, the response to the Tikva House has been so overwhelming that they anticipate needing additional space one day.
Shabbos and Yom Tov at the Tikva House
Rebbetzin Baila Berger of Baltimore recently used the Tikva House when her young baby underwent heart surgery at Hopkins. “My baby was in intensive care, so we could not bring food to her room. My husband stayed in the Tikva House for Shabbos, and we ate the seudos there together. Mrs. Libby Lehman was exceptionally warm and nurturing to us, and met us on erev Shabbos and showed us around. She gave us a choice of eating in the main dining area with the other families, or in our room. Every family is really able to do whatever makes them most comfortable.
“We were amazed at all the food that was supplied. Everything one could imagine was provided – in a very classy and generous manner. There was a Shabbos food package specially marked for our family,
our own Shabbos set, which included a Kiddush cup, a challah tray and knife, (dedicated by the Ring family in memory of their son, Chaim Yaakov, a”h), and candles set up for each family to bentch licht. The paper goods were not just any generic paper goods, but beautiful gold plates. The many special touches throughout the home really made a difference.”
One-year-old Raizy Stein* was admitted to Kennedy Krieger Institute, after surviving a rare virus which left her unable to move. For three months, her parents spent Shabbos at the Tikva House, beginning with Shabbos Chanukah, 5773/2012. Her mother recalls, “You cannot imagine what it was like to be lighting Chanukah licht that week in the Tikva House. As we made the brachah, 'she-asah nissim...” we were overwhelmed with emotion. We had seen nissim as our baby was released from the ICU after three months, and now we were in a beautiful, luxurious house, created totally by the chessed of other Yidden. It was the first Shabbos in months that we had eaten warm food – it felt so Shabbosdik. “
When Mr. Moshe and Mrs. Shelly Cohen of Baltimore were blessed with a baby boy in February 2013, they were prepared for complications, as they had been forewarned that their unborn child had a complex heart condition that would require immediate surgery. The baby was born in Johns Hopkins, and for the next two months the hospital practically became their second home. During the week, the Cohen's returned home every night, but for Shabbos they moved into the Tikva House.
“At first I was reluctant to stay there for Shabbos,” recalls Mrs. Cohen, “because I thought the ambiance of the house would be depressing. I felt I needed a positive environment. But a positive environment is exactly what I found at the Tikva House. We held our newborn son's shalom zachor there, and really bonded with the other families. Sure, there were times when we cried together, sharing our hardships, but there were more times that we laughed together. The Tikva House crossed all barriers – we all got along very well, regardless of our backgrounds and religious levels. We still keep in touch with our 'Tikva House Family.'
“The first few weeks, I did not bring my other children, (aged 2, 4, and 6) but after I saw how child friendly the Tikva House is, with the beautiful playroom, I started bringing them.
“When Pesach arrived, our son was still in the hospital, so we made arrangements to stay in the Tikva House. Yom Tov there was so amazing. The staff thought of everything – matzos, baked goods, personalized Seder packages, grape juice, you name it. The Seder was beautiful as well. Each family had their own little table, but we all basically kept up the same pace and shared divrei Torah. And as soon as Pesach was over, Stacey was there, turning over the kitchen for chametz. I am sure she came before she worked on her own house.”
Meeting the Needs of Each Family
The staff of the Tikva House understands that each family has different needs, and they do whatever they can to accommodate those needs.
When Devorah Friedman's five-month-old baby was suddenly diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, her life was turned upside down, and within hours, her precious son was in the Hopkins Pediatric ICU, connected to endless machines. Devorah needed the immediate support of extended family to help her during this ordeal and guide her through crucial decisions. With the help of the Tikva House, this was possible, as her husband, two-year-old son, in-laws, and two of their children were warmly welcomed to the Tikva House, and were told to consider it home for as long as necessary.
Five year old Avraham Aharon Segal of Baltimore was a recently a patient in Hopkins and Kennedy Krieger for four long weeks. During the week, his parents divided their time between the hospital and their home. For Shabbos, they brought all their children to the Tikva House. “The Tikva House is much more than a place to stay,” says his mother, Mrs. Shaina Bluma Segal. “For Shabbos, we did not have to make that choice between our sick child and our healthy children. I hope the people who support it realize that being there for Shabbos literally gave our family the strength to make it through another week.”
The Tikva House has helped international patients as well. Mr. Simcha Bohrer came to Hopkins from Eretz Yisrael on the advice of Rabbi Elimelech Furer, the world-famous medical referral expert, when his wife needed brain surgery. He heard about the Tikva House from Rabbi Rafael Wolf, Rabbi Furer's assistant, and was effusive in his praise of the Tikva House, its staff and volunteers, and the manner in which they accommodated his unique needs.
True Compassion
Earlier this year, Mrs. Hedy Schleifer, formerly of Miami, stayed at the Tikva House when her husband was in Hopkins for over a month.
“I really feel that the miracle of my husband's healing had to do with the fact that I could stay in a place that embraced me so well that I could be there fully for my husband. As a result of the comfort that I felt at the Tikva House, after getting a good night's sleep and eating a good breakfast, I could give my husband my full attention, and I had a clear mind to make the decisions that needed to be made.
The Tikva House takes great care to maintain a very high level of cleanliness, and this made such a difference. When one is confused, overwhelmed, and grappling with so many inner emotions, having a clean and orderly place to stay helped me to remain calm and focused.
“I am eternally grateful to the people at the Tikva House. Each one of them, as well as the families that I met, helped me through this difficult time. I felt that Hashem surrounded me with goodness at this most important time of my life. Their presence helped me be with my husband when he needed me. For that, I say thank you forever.”
*names have been changed.
