Religion and Kashrut

Kosher supervision is provided by Clalit’s chief rabbi, Rabbi Menachem Rosenberg

By G-d’s grace,

The department’s representative at Lowenstein Hospital, handling all matters of kashrut, the Sabbath and religion:

Rabbi Shmuel Harmats (054-6367703, 09-7709733).

In addition to the hospital rabbi, Rabbi Benjamin Gadidian [attends?] on Saturdays and holidays.

KashrutReligion and Kashrut

All food items are kosher and are strictly checked.

  • Poultry products kosher le’mehadrin
  • Meat products are kosher under the supervision of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
  • Ma’aser has been provided on all fruits and vegetables and they are free of orla
  • Leaf vegetables are grown insect free, including cabbage.
  • Shmita is strictly observed.

Cooking, baking, preparation and serving

  • Nothing is cooked parve
  • Flour is sifted through a fine electric sifter
  • Legumes are checked for insects by a sophisticated electric legume sifter and also manually
  • Challa is separated
  • Meat and dairy is strictly separated, including the steam
  • There are separate sets of utensils, ovens and dishwashers for meat and for dairy dishes
  • Cooking is Bishul Israel
  • Imported utensils are dipped in a mikveh
  • Hallak chicken is available by special order, contact nursing department for details.

Food served on Shabbat

  • Food is cooked prior to Shabbat. On Shabbat the food is only heated using the circumventive cause (grama) method and Shabbat clocks, as approved by halachic institutes.
  • Porridge is prepared from instant dissolving mixtures only.
  • Hot water urns are situated at the hospital and the water is permitted for drinking without concern. The urns are authorised by the Technological Institute for Halacha and by Zomet Institute.

Kosher for Passover

  • A separates set of utensils is used for Passover
  • Only non-portable appliances and trolleys (made of stainless steel) are koshered

Shabbat

Shabbat candles

For safety reasons, lighting candles is only allowed in the designated receptacles located in the dining room and at the entrance to the synagogue. The candles are found in the receptacles. Additional candles can be obtained from the nurses’ station.

Kiddush and havdalah

Wine for kiddush and havdalah and challot are distributed in all of the wards. If for any reason a patient did not receive these, then the central kitchen may be contacted directly with a request for wine.

Shabbat elevators

Shabbat elevators operate at the hospital. They are marked with a sign and their times of operation in accordance with the timetable affixed at the entrance to the elevator.

Accommodation for those accompanying patients on Shabbat

There is a motel at the hospital. Please contact the management for  details. For additional accommodation options you can call: 054-6367703 up to Thursday, 10 am.

Food for those accompanying patients on Shabbat

On weekdays please contact the offices of “Ezer MiZion”, located in Building B, telephone: 09-7741737.

For Shabbat and holidays, orders can be made on Friday morning by calling: 03-5790837.

There is also an option to purchase food coupons at the reception office on Friday mornings and these coupons may be used to dine at the central dining room on Shabbat morning. A packed Shabbat eve meal may be obtained, for coupons, at the dining room by Friday, 1.00 pm.

Seudah Shlishit takes place in the synagogue.

There is an eruv and carrying is permitted.

Religious Services

  • Assistance with putting on tefillin for patients with disabilities
  • Religious halachic counselling
  • “Ezer MiZion” volunteers assist with religious services and hand out mehadrin food for those accompanying patients.

The synagogue is located on the first floor of the inpatients building and is available for patients and visitors. Inside can be found a substantial library of Jewish religious literature.

You can get tefillin on loan from the local kosher supervisor, Rabbi Shmuel Harmats (054-6367703, 09-7709733).

Prayer times

Shabbat

Mincha and Shabbat eve prayers, about 10 minutes after candle lighting time.

Morning prayer at 8:45 am. The Torah is read at 9:30 am

Weekly parsha lesson.

Mincha at about an hour and a quarter before the end of Shabbat.

Seudah Shlishit and  Jewish teachings.

Evening prayer when Shabbat ends.

After the prayers there is kiddush and havdalah in the synagogue.

Weekdays

On most days of the year, morning prayers are held at 7.30 am. The minyan is arranged by students of the sciences yeshiva “Kfar Batia”.

Minha, in the summer, is at 6.50 pm.

A Daf Yomi (“daily sheet”) lesson is given by Rabbi Moshe Singer

After the lesson, evening prayers are held at 8.00 pm.

Minha, in the winter, is about 10 minutes before sunset.

Evening prayers are held when the stars appear.

A Daf Yomi (“daily sheet”) is given by Rabbi Moshe Singer

After the lesson, evening prayers are held.

Prayer times during holidays and festivals are posted on bulletin boards.

Sometimes there are changes, please see the schedule on the bulletin board of the synagogue.

The medical centre provides the services of the synagogue for conducting a brit (circumcision) for the children and grandchildren of inpatients only.

Holidays and Festivals of Israel

Full festival prayers are held in the hospital synagogue.

Jewish New Year

The holiday dinner is held at the main dining room for patients and their escorts. The synagogue cantor conducts the blessings.

The shofar is sounded in the wards.

Yom Kippur

A cicular on the religious laws is distributed to the patients. Instructions about the fast are given by the Rabbi of “Clalit”.

Meal before the commencement of the fast is offered to the patients and their escorts.

Sukkot

A sukkah is erected and the “four species” are distributed.

Simchat Torah

Hakaffot are held on the holiday eve and on the day.

After the end of Simchat Torah, second Hakaffot are celebrated with an orchestra and refreshments.

Hannuka

Candles may be lit only in the special receptacles available in the ward.

Communal candle lightings are held, accompanied by live music and singing.

Purim

The megillah is publically read on the treatment floor, at the synagogue and at the wards.

Passover

A Passover sedder is held in the central dining room for patients and their escorts, conducted by a rabbi.

Shavuot

Tikkun leil Shavuot (all night study) is held at the synagogue and includes refreshments.

Selichot

In the month of Elul – selichot are said in the synagogue an hour before mincha prayers.

 

For any question or problem feel free to contact the Lowenstein Hospital Department of Religion and Kashrut at 054-6367703 or the Clalit’s General Administration Department of Religion and Kashrut at: 03-6923275.

Application for Clinical Treatment

    Loewenstein Hospital
    +972-9-7709170
    Email: arthurk@clalit.org.il
    Address: 278 Achuza Street, Raanana 43100 POB 3 Israel
    © All Rights Reserved Loewenstein Hospital. 2024