(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

The management of Hadassah Medical Center sold the chametz to Chief Sephardi Rabbi of Jerusalem Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar Shlita.

Rabbi Moshe Klein, Rabbi of the Hadassah Medical Center, said: “Pesach at Hadassah as in the home is a strict observance of all laws and chumros that are customary on Pesach, and this year, all dishes are disposable, dairy and meat, towards achieving a higher level of Pesach preparedness”.

Rabbi Amar arrived at the Hadassah Medical Center to see the many preparations made for Pesach in the Hadassah kitchens. During his visit, the Hadassah administration appointed the rabbi as an emissary to sell the chametz of the medical center – Hadassah Ein Kerem and Hadassah Mount Scopus. Dr. Moshe Klein, Director of the Hadassah Medical Center, Dr. Tamar Elram, and the Chief Instructor, Mr. Udi Shauloff, participated in the event.

Representatives of the Hadassah Medical Center thanked the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, for giving them the opportunity to sell the chametz and to review the many preparations at the Hadassah Medical Center for Passover. Afterward, the Chief Rabbi toured the hospital’s kitchen and saw the extensive activity ongoing for before and during Pesach, strictly adhering to all the laws and customs of many homes in Israel during Pesach.

This is part of the great revolution that has been carried out over the past five years under the guidance of Rabbi Moshe Klein, Rabbi of the Medical Center, and his transformation into more attentive to all the needs of the chareidi and dati leumi public. In general, during Pesach, the meals that will be given in the wards of the hospital, as well as to the visitors, are kosher mehadrin without kitnios, and this decision does not prevent the patients who are in need of such diets to receive kitnios after consulting with the dietician and in line with a patient’s will.

Once again, all dishes are disposable, dairy and meat, for the improvement of kashrus. The food service managers and their staff have worked hard to prepare a fine menu that meets the halachic requirements that will provide a fine gastronomic solution for the holidays, and on the eve of Yomtov the traditional seder plate will be served to the patients who will stay in the medical centers. As is the case year-round, the cooking on Pesach is in line with the chumros of Maran Beis Yosef and there are mashgichim present in all kitchens, from the opening of a kitchen until they close.

In the maternity ward, all ingredients are Badatz Eida Chareidis and since Pesach is synonymous with chumros, one will also be able to receive sealed Eida Chareidis meals in the maternity wards of both the Ein Kerem and Mt. Scopus facilities. Most other ingredients in all other wards are Badatz Eida Chareidis or one of the other accepted badatzim in Israel.

In addition to all of the above, Rabbi Klein during recent weeks has collected funds and distributed Kimcha D’pischa to need employees, due to the generosity of senior physicians and other employees who contribute to this mitzvah in a most generous fashion.

Rabbi Klein concludes, “Pesach at Hadassah is like being at home regarding stringent adherence to the halachos and minhagim of Pesach. The management of Hadassah has decided its patients will be able to spend the holiday in a hidur atmosphere regarding kashrus. That said, great effort is made to send home any patient that can be discharged before Yomtov, at least for Seder night.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)