HABAYIT, HOME AWAY FROM HOME

A NEW BUILDING, AN OPEN HOUSE & A TRIBUTE TO LESLEY KASSIN A”H

SOPHIA FRANCO

OUR SAGES TEACH US THAT IF YOU TAKE ONE POWERFUL STEP FORWARD, AND ALLOW HASHEM AN OPENING INTO YOUR LIFE EVEN AS SMALL AS THE SIZE OF THE EYE OF A NEEDLE, YOU WILL WATCH AS HE CREATES FOR YOU AN OPENING THE SIZE OF THE WHOLE WORLD.

A year ago, a beautiful group of realtors in Brooklyn came up with an idea. So many calls had come to their doorsteps for short term leases to accommodate medical patients coming to New York for doctor’s visits and treatments, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not be of service. Even if there was an empty apartment available, how could that help? Furniture, beds, towels and sheets—there was so much to provide!

According to the old adage, the first step is always the hardest, so, they began with one apartment. Friends and relatives around them began to buzz, and donations poured in. With the help of so many, they cleaned it up and decorated it, and got ready for the first call. Within moments it was booked, all set up and free of charge. Quickly they realized, one apartment wasn’t going to be nearly enough.

Today, just one year later, Habayit has fourteen apartments to offer visiting patients and their families, and most of them are occupied year-round. The committee worked for many months trying to renovate a new building that they rented for Habayit, on east 9th Street. With the help of their landlord, they were able to rework the entire building, including the kitchens, bathrooms, and floors. Every piece in the new apartments was donated—from couches to beds, cribs, lamps and art work. Even the Shabbat locks on the doors and the mezuzot were graciously given from the heart. With the help of their fabulous design team, Natalie Ammar Shalom, Beth Heaney, and Michelle Barsano, who volunteered their time, the apartments came together like a thing of beauty. With fresh linens and towels stacked high, and kosher food in the fridge, each space has become a home away from home, just like the name suggests.

This month, the founders and committee planned a celebration in their new building to honor all their donors, and the four brand new apartments that they could now offer. Eva Shammah, the energy source behind the project, humbly explained the excitement of the day. “Twelve months ago, we started on a path. We wanted to solve a problem, and we did. But we wanted the community to know what we did. It was so emotional! To stand in these apartments—to feel the coziness and to see how beautiful each one turned out—to appreciate all the special touches; the high chairs in the corner, the towels stacked neatly, the games in the closet—it was just surreal! When Rabbi Azriel Matsur gave his beautiful words of beracha, blessings for the patients who stay here to have refuah shelama (full recovery) and success in their treatments, everyone understood that this is really the bottom line. This is why we did this! We want to help these families! We want them to come here, and get through whatever it is they have to do with as little pain as possible, and go back home, to their lives, feeling well, and with success in their treatments. That’s the goal. That’s what this is all really about.”

One of the apartments and the entire day, was dedicated in memory of one of the most beautiful souls this community has ever known, Lesley Kassin A”H, Leah bat Rachel, who we lost from this world too soon. Natalie Ammar Shalom, one of the original forces behind the organization explained, “Lesley was an artist and a teacher and you can feel her genuine and kind spirit in the apartment through her artwork and sculptures. She was good hearted, generous and fun to be around. She had a zest for life and she knew how to light up a room. She always took people under her wing, as we are doing here in Habayit, and I hope that her beautiful artwork and creativity will bring our guests a little bit of her warmth and joy while they stay here.”

The committee opened the new Habayit to the community so that their donors could really see what they accomplished, because every act and donation, small or large, makes a difference! To see how many people were involved, to be there, enjoying the most magnificent meal Stephanie Esses prepared, to sip coffee and nibble on yummy desserts while listening to the wisdom of world-renowned speaker Slovie Jungreis-Wolff who had us all in tears talking about the holiness of this project, you could just picture how a patient would feel staying in these homes. The sheer warmth of it—and to feel Lesley’s presence, to know that she is smiling on everything Habayit has accomplished—Regine Shrem recalled, “It was a very emotional day! And truly, it’s been just one year! I’m so happy and proud to know that I had even a small part in sparking the fire for this.”

The compassion and love surrounding Habayit makes this organization one like no other, entering at a time in a person’s life when they need it the most. At the celebration, over 400 people showed up to pay tribute to a project that is unlike any other. Elliot Shelby said, “Aside from the effort and work so many people put into making sure each apartment was finished beautifully and stocked with every amenity, the work does not stop there. Just as an example, when one of the patients needed a ride to a doctor’s appointment in the city, all we had to do was put it on the chat, and within seconds someone was on their way to pick him up.”

Many of these families have nowhere else to go, and nowhere to turn, but when they end up in Habayit, they could not be more grateful. From, Panama, Israel, Mexico City, and all over the world, the patients can rely on this organization to make them feel safe and at home. One visitor explained, “Once we called Habayit, there was no need to call anyone else on our list. Yes, we had medical issues on our mind, but Habayit gave us comfort and stability and took care of everything else.”

Lillian Srour added, “The committee and our volunteers are always wondering ‘what more can we do for our guests. How can we make them feel more relaxed? How can we make their road easier?’ It’s so much more than providing a roof over their heads. There is no end to the service, and it’s all done from the heart. Our visitors are more than just guests, they are family. We only pray that all those who stay in these apartments have a refuah shelama, and that these apartments can be transformed into homes for brides and grooms, rather than sick people, very soon!”

Rabbi David Ozeri summed it up perfectly, saying “Habayit is the most beautiful home on earth, bringing joy and happiness to Hashem and mankind.”

Eva continued, “I can’t thank our amazing committee enough, especially Aaron Cohen who worked tirelessly for months and months and put in so many hours to get us in on time, Shirley Barnathan who donated fresh flowers for the open house, Yossi Beri, who handled all the graphics, and also, Eva Matut, who was our event planner! And of course, all of our donors—you know who you are! And our volunteers! You are amazing, stepping up on a dime to work or drive or give whatever you can to make our guests feel like family! I love what we do, and I love that we are able to do it in such a beautiful way. I am blessed to be a part of such an incredible group of people.”

Follow us on Instagram @Habayit_ny
Donate on our website www.habayit.org
To volunteer, contact Regine Shrem (917) 405-2316
Tizku l’mitzvot!

Sophia Franco is a mom and grandma, and a lover of the written word in all forms. She has been an author, lyricist and poet for our community for more years than she can count.