by Marcy Price

When Estie (seated) was recovering from back surgery, some members of her Jewish book club came to visit.

For the first time in a very long time, I have been on the receiving end of the mitzvah of bikkur cholim -- visiting the sick. Fortunately, I was not actually sick, just recovering from foot surgery which limited my mobility and confined me to my home much longer than I expected -- and no driving! Our organized Jewish community does an admirable job of reaching out to hospitalized patients and homebound ones through their established Caring Committees. A friendly call can go a long way when you are not functioning 100%. The rabbis remind us that it is helpful to let the congregational rabbi know if someone is in the hospital or needs a reassurance call, because privacy laws limit information that hospitals can release on patient information.

So what do you do if you hear that someone is sick, has been hospitalized, or is homebound? Call to say hello and that you are thinking about them. Check to see when would be a good time to come by. Offer to bring something simple -- share a shandwich, bring a cup of coffee and a newspaper. It doesn't take much effort, but it really makes a difference to someone else and will be remembered as a true mitzvah!

Rabbi Bradley Artson, Vice-President of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and Dean of its Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies and author of It’s a Mitzvah suggested several very practical steps to take that truly bring comfort and friendship to others. When you think about it, the mitzvah of bikkur cholim is really an art form that is best refined through practice. Make a resolution to visit someone you know who is sick or healing or send them a get well card from one of the congregational Judaica shops…and do a mitzvah that keeps on giving!

1.   Upon discovering that someone is sick, send a brief card or a note. Rather than allowing a silence to isolate the sick if you cannot visit quickly, send a note, even a brief one, to provide a sense of contact.

2.   Alert the sick person’s rabbi. Although a visit from a rabbi is often appreciated, many people forget to notify the synagogue when someone is ill. Before doing so, be sure to consider whether the patient will be upset by having his or her illness made public.

3.   Plan to visit the sick. The physical presence of caring people can banish loneliness and provide tangible evidence of a concerned community.

4.   Don’t plan on a long visit. Sick people often tire easily. It is better to visit briefly but repeatedly than to visit once for a long time. When the person tires, leave courteously with a promise to return another time.

5.   Before visiting the sick person, phone ahead to let him or her know you are coming. This simple gesture creates the anticipation of a visit, giving the person that much more pleasure.

6.   When visiting, help with concrete tasks. One of the crucial aspects of bikkur cholim is the kind of caring that can be demonstrated only in person. After getting the sick person’s consent, help by making the bed, watering plants, straightening up the room, or any other chore that helps the sick person or makes the surroundings look well attended.

7. Try to be with the persont during a meal. Eating is a social act, and the presence of company during a meal can communicate additional closeness and caring because it suggests forethought.

8. Offer to make two specifically Jewish gestures:

· Attend a synagogue worship service and [to] have a mi she-berakh recited after the Torah reading. Mi she-berakh (literally “may the One who blessed”) is a prayer for the sick. Find out the sick person’s Jewish name and those of his or her parents. By asking for a mi she-berakh to be recited, you ensure that the community is informed of the illness, that more people will pray for the individual, and that the sick person has the comfort of knowing a congregation of Jews cares.

9.  And secondly, make a contribution to a synagogue or a charitable cause in honor of the sick person. In Jewish tradition, tzedakah (a charitable contribution) is a highly cherished form of demonstrating respect and concern.

10. Reestablish the ancient Jewish tradition of va‘ad bikkur cholim (“committee to visit the sick”). Bikkur cholim is an obligation of all members of a community. Rather than relying on our own personal network of people who will “take care of their own,” it is time to reestablish the va‘ad bikkur holim. It demonstrates that Judaism is not just for paid professionals and that the community, as a community, takes care of its members.

11.Visit nursing home residents, long-time hospital patients, and elderly shut-ins. Many people suffer from chronic illnesses for such a long time that we often stop remembering that they need our care. The rules of bikkur cholim apply to these people, too.

If you know someone who would benefit from a weekly check-up call, please contact your congregation or you may call the Jewish Federation, 848-3132 and we will make sure that this mitzvah happens. Faith Fox is our part-time Mitzvah Maven, coordinating social service needs within the Jewish community and assisting with our popular Adults on the Go group. So do a mitzvah yourself or help us to perform the beautiful mitzvah of Bikkur cholim.