Officials at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus Hospitals report the medical centers are ready for Rosh Hashanah, having preparing hundreds of places for mispallalim along with a yomtov menu including the ‘simanim’ of Rosh Hashanah.

Officials explain preparations have been completed in all units, including first and foremost the delivery units in both hospitals. Officials explain special preparations have been made for the women arriving on erev yomtov and during yomtov as they will all have to remain until after Rosh Hashanah to be discharged. Non- Jewish employees will be on hand to take care of the women who can be discharged but will remain because of yomtov. A special area has been set up for this purpose and the transfer and other chilul yomtov activities involved will be handled by non-Jews.

The shuls in the hospitals have been set up to accommodate hundreds of mispallalim and the baalei tefilla are Yirei Shomayim brought in specially for Rosh Hashanah, experienced baalei tefilla who will enable mispallalim to participate in an appropriate yomtov tefilos. Two minyanim will take place in each hospital, one for Ashkenazim and one for Sephardim. Baalei Tokeah will also be present in the shuls as well as making rounds to all units for patients and others unable to make it to the shuls.

The rav of the hospitals, Rabbi Moshe Klein, explains yomtov meals will be available for patients and their families. Regarding kashrus, he explains most ingredients used are Badatz Eida Chareidi and all produce is non-Jewish regarding shmitah concerns. The produce is under the hashgacha of either the Eida or Badatz Rabbi Yosef Efrati Shlita.

Rabbi Klein adds all cooking is in line with the stricter ruling of the Beis Yosef for Sephardim, and meats is glatt shechita Beit Yosef under the Chief Rabbinate’s hashgacha. Schnitzel and poultry are Rav Verner (AV Beis Din of Hadera or Rav Ariel of Ramat Gan). Vegetarian portions are Badatz Eida Chareidis. Dairy products are Tnuva Mehadrin and bread from Berman’s (Eida Chareidis).

One may request poultry under the hashgacha of the Eida Chareidis.

Regarding carrying in the hospital on Shabbos, a mehadrin eruv has been constructed around the hospitals in addition to the regular Jerusalem Religious Council eruv.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)