SEPTEMBER 17 • 2020 | 33

Young Israel of Oak Park, the 
Modern Orthodox congreg-
tion has a team of some seven 
men ready to walk around the 
neighborhood and sound the 
shofar for those who cannot 
get to synagogue.

HOSPITAL ROUNDS
For patients in the hospital, 
Rabbi Aharon Amzalak, 
staff chaplain at Beaumont 
Hospital, notes that “to com-
ply with HIPAA [Health 
Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act] require-
ments which protect patients’
 
privacy, I go to the patients 
before Yom Tov and ask if 
they would like to invite 
someone to sound shofar for 
them.
” 
Rabbi Amzalak and a vol-
unteer (who happens to be a 
physician at another hospital) 
then divide up the rooms to 
visit. “If the Jewish patient 
has a roommate, we explain 
the significance of the sho-
far for Jews, and we ask the 
roommate if it would be OK 
for us to sound the shofar 
for the Jewish patient,
” he 
said. “In practice, they always 
have agreed. They often 

seem pleased to support their 
roommate.
”
Rabbi Amzalak uses a 
shofar given to the chaplains’
 
office years ago by a grateful 
relative of a patient. It has an 
unusually deep pitch, so its 
sound does not carry, and it is 
less likely to disturb patients 
in other rooms.
He adds, “Every year, peo-
ple ask to handle the shofar 
themselves. They would like 
to see it up close, even prac-
tice trying to sound the shofar. 
This year especially, we have 
to make sure that one mouth 
and only one mouth comes in 
contact with the shofar. I plan 
to wear a new pair of gloves in 
each room that I visit.
” 
Boruch Lazewnik plans to 
sound the shofar for residents 
at Sunrise of West Bloomfield 
Senior Living. He thanks 
Rabbi Chaim Moshe Bergstein 
of Bais Chabad of Farmington 
Hills for making the connec-
tion. 
If you cannot — or should 
not — get to synagogue this 
year, consider calling your 
synagogue for advice. Perhaps 
a private “recital” is not out of 
the question. 

Dr. Jay Novetsky 
of Young Israel of 
Southfield

Stay Safe 
During the 
Holidays

Kosher Meals on Wheels is available 
for homebound older adults who need 
assistance with access to food.
 Up to 
two meals per day will be delivered.
 
Kosher Meals on Wheels is provided 
by the National Council of Jewish 
Women in partnership with Jewish 
Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit,
 
supported by JHELP and Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
 

Call JHELP at 
1-833-445-4357

The call center is open Monday 
through Friday:
 8am to 5pm

Kosher Meals on 
Wheels Program