Satmar Bikur Cholim has released a statement regarding the recent controversy between the volunteer organization and NYU-Langone Hospital, one of largest in New York City.
Numerous reports in the last two weeks included claims attributed to Satmar Bikur Cholim officials that they had been banned from operating at NYU.
In response, NYU released a statement last Thursday “responding to a campaign by the Satmar Bikur Cholim to spread outright falsehoods, misleading innuendo, and Lashon Hara (derogatory speech), and to set the record straight on its extensive Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick) services and policies.”
The hospital explained that the organization is always welcome to bring food to the designated Bikur Cholim rooms, where it can be distributed by the hospital’s volunteer teams to patients and families.
However, the hospital claimed Satmar Bikur Cholim also wants fully unsupervised access to patient floors and rooms. The hospital added that the “organization is not interested in the patient’s best interest, only its own relevancy.”
In response, Satmar Bikur Cholim today released the following (unedited) statement:
During the past weeks, statements were made by unnamed sources claiming to speak on behalf of Satmar Bikkur Cholim against NYU Langone . We hereby declare that those sources are not authorized and don’t speak on behalf of the congregation or on behalf of Bikur Cholim – a division of our congregation. The only designated person to speak on our behalf on this matter is, Rabbi Mayer Schnitzler.
Since its founding, in 1952, by Rebitzin Alte Feige Teitelbaum OBM, the wife of the founder of our congregation Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum OMB, Bikur Cholim worked cooperatively and closely with hospitals frequented by Orthodox Jews to assist and comfort their patients in a religious and cultural-sensitive manner. Specifically, weworked and continue to work in close coordination with NYU Langone to accommodate the religious needs of our members and all Jewish patients, and we appreciate the hospital’s efforts to accommodate those services and needs.
At a meeting with our representatives, the hospital reaffirmed their understanding and respect for the religious rights of patients when making treatment and life decision. The ultimate choice on those most-sensitive matters rests with the patients and their family, and our members consult on such matters with their rabbinic authority and follow the halacha.
We look forward to continue the long-standing close relationship between the community NYU Langone . We hope and pray that everyone should only use their services for happy occasions.
Sincerely,
Saul Perlstein
President
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Is NYU going to release an apology for their original wild statement?
I won’t be holding my breath…
I hope Satmar brings a defamation suit over the hospital saying ““organization is not interested in the patient’s best interest, only its own relevancy.””