Chesed 24/7 is pleased to announce the opening of a Chesed 24/7 Hospitality Room in Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey. As one of the area’s leading hospitals, especially in the areas of Maternity Care, Women’s Health, Heart Care, and Fertility, many members of our community choose Valley Hospital when undergoing medical treatments and procedures. In addition, Valley’s close proximity to North Jersey’s Jewish communities, Monsey and Monroe, coupled with Valley’s outstanding medical professionals, make Valley a popular choice for women to delivery their babies. A week does not go by without a member of our community inquiring about the location of the Chesed 24/7 Room in Valley Hospital.

Realizing the needs of our community and recognizing the benefits that a Chesed 24/7 Room would provide their patients, the administration of Valley Hospital made every effort to accommodate our needs. Although space in Valley Hospital is at a premium as they undergo an expansion, with a little bit of creativity, the hospital graciously found the space and embraced the idea of opening up a room which would take care of the needs of their Jewish patients.

This new Chesed 24/7 Room, located in the Bergen Mother Baby Unity – Room B3224, is fully equipped with a stocked refrigerator, microwave, kosher snacks, hot water and coffee, cholav yisrael milk, yogurts and other dairy products, prepackaged meals, Shabbos meals, a large Shabbos warmer, electric candles, tehillim, seforim, siddurim, and any other amenities a Torah observant individual would require that the hospital cannot provide. There is always food available whenever anyone arrives – 7 days a week, day or night. The value of this room is immeasurable to the patients and families of patients who use it. Valley Hospital hopes in the near future to creatively find space within the regular hospital unit for Chesed 24/7 to open an additional Chesed Rooms outside the maternity unit.

Chesed 24/7 would like to thank Dr. Eric Bentolila for his support, encouragement, and coordination of the relationship between Chesed 24/7 and Valley Hospital. Dr. Bentolila was well aware of the much needed service and encouraged Chesed’s involvement, knowing that the patients and their families would truly benefit. Chesed 24/7 is also indebted to Rabbi Marmostein, the Rabbi for Valley Hospital, who has done so much chesed for the community throughout the years and truly pioneered the bikur cholim efforts in Valley Hospital. Finally, none of our services in Valley Hospital would have been possible without the support of Joann Selser, RN, BSN, MPA, Director of Patient Relations and Sherry Campanelli, Manager for Mother/Baby Women’s & Children Services, who oversaw every detail of the Chesed Room from start to finish. Working closely with Rabbi Marmorstein and Chesed 24/7, Ms. Selser and Ms. Campanelli understood the needs of our community and worked with the utmost respect and sensitivity to ensure that Jewish patients have everything they need to make their stay in the hospital as comfortable as possible.

Chesed 24/7 hopes that this room will serve as a source of comfort and as a home away from home for all those who may need it. May the room only be used for simchas.

(YWN Desk – NYC)