12 | JANUARY 12 • 2023

W

hen Rabbi Aharon Amzalak
sees an opportunity to help
people, he grabs it. So, it’s no
surprise that he served as the Jewish staff
chaplain at Beaumont Hospital in Royal
Oak for 11 years. He recently transitioned
to staff chaplain at Ascension Spiritual Care
in Southfield and Novi.
In December 2021, the good-hearted
Australian rabbi noticed that a house next
to the hospital was available for sale. He
realized that a comfortable accommodation
in precisely that location would be a vital
help for anyone with a loved one in the
hospital.
Rabbi Amzalak connected with his friend
and fellow Bais Chabad of North Oak Park
congregant Mark Gorge, who was immedi-
ately on board. Together, they rounded up
donors, made the technical arrangements
and, by February 2022, had closed on the
house. That weekend they already had their
first guest, proving just how necessary it
was.
“Things moved quite quickly,
” said Rabbi
Amzalak, who lives in Oak Park with his
wife, Miriam, and nine kids.

After obtaining the necessary city per-
mits, the Bais Refoel Foundation was
formed and hosted its first open house BBQ
dinner in May.
“It was named in memory of two com-
munity members we wanted to honor: Dr.
Maurice (Rephael) Herschfus and Yehuda
Refoel Elchonon,
” said Gorge, who’s a
Bloomfield Township businessman and
father of two. “Both experienced a tremen-
dous amount of healthcare in the last years
of their lives, and much of it was received
at Beaumont. We thought it was apropos to
have the house named for them, given the
very purpose of the house is to help families
of patients in the hospital, just like it was in
their cases.
”
The baisrefoel.com website was created;
it declares the motto: “To service the health
and wellness of the greater community.
”

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The crown jewel of the Bais Refoel
Foundation, a recognized 501(c) 3 non-
profit, is the Bais Refoel hospitality house.
Bais Refoel is a ranch, consisting of three
bedrooms with locks on the doors for pri-

vacy. The house offers wi-fi, a family room
complete with children’s toys, plenty of
reading material and many religious items.
The kosher kitchen is fully stocked, with the
rabbi refilling supplies as needed. They also
provide cleaning staff and handymen.
People can request a reservation at Bais
Refoel through the website. There is no
cost. Although it was designed for people
with a loved one at Beaumont, particularly
for members of the Orthodox community
who do not drive on Shabbat and need
a place to stay, it’s open to anyone in just
about any circumstance.
One such example was Yerachmiel
Abromovitz, who stayed at Bais Refoel for
almost three months after his mother was
discharged from the hospital. Abromovitz’s
Oak Park house had a mold infestation at
the time, his mother needed 24/7 care and
Abromovitz was at a loss about where he
and his mother could live — until a friend

OUR COMMUNITY

Bais Refoel Foundation provides a place to stay
for those with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital.

Hospitality
House

ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bais Refoel
Hospitality House

Rabbi Aharon Amzalak
and Mark Gorge