Commemoration
This year, the Rivkah Laufer Bikur Cholim luncheon is dedicated in loving memory and in tribute to the Honorary National President, Mrs. Bella Brodt, A”H.
This extraordinary woman, a pillar of our organization, enabled the Rivkah Laufer Bikor Cholim to reach unparalleled accomplishments in the pursuit of chessed.
Mrs. Brodt was a woman who understood, respected and and valued her time in this world internalized from her distinguished parents, Reb Chaim and Hendel Freidman, prominent Belzer chassidim from Melitz, Galicia, in Southeast Poland.
Mrs. Brodt’s extraordinary warmth, incomparable brilliance and love for giving to others was translated into the unparalleled charity and chesed that she did. With the help and support of her esteemed husband Reb Shalom Brodt zt”l, she established the largest bikor cholim organization on the east coast together with a few other outstanding women of the community. Years after his petirah, She continued her great work in Eretz Yisroel with her zivug sheini, the prominent Reb Benzion Sorotzkin zt”l.
Before computers, before cell phones and before Uber, Mrs. Brodt and her small army of volunteers went house to house in any weather, trudging up steps for even the smallest donations. They made phone call after phone call on behalf of the cholim, wore beepers to track down doctors and wrote their notes with pen on endless papers. These women were great friends and coordinated all the tasks with incredible cooperation, each one assuring that everything fell into place and leading to the success of the joint effort! They were our mentors and role models.
Mrs. Brodt used her extensive knowledge to support individuals going through medical crisis and to give them recommendations and advice that was both precious and lifesaving. No task was too small or too large for this selfless woman who cared for each choleh and their family.
It is no coincidence that Mrs. Brodt was nifter on the 11th of Cheshvan, the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu. Her greatness, devotion and unparalleled mesiras nefesh throughout her life, stood out with the quality of being able to master her emotions, going through life without complaint or criticism.
Mrs. Brodt leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, and generations of bnei torah and rodfei chessed.
Prestigious Rofeh Award
Mira Hellmann-Ostrov, MD, FACOG, is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and gynecologic oncology.
Dr. Hellmann received her medical degree at Downstate University Medical Center with a lifelong membership to the AOA honors society. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and fellowship training in gynecologic oncology at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. Dr. Hellmann’s career has been focused on academics, and has always taught medical students and residents. She currently works at the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center and is an Assistant Professor through the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. She serves on the residency review committee, and is the specialty clinical instructor for minimally invasive surgery. She is a certified Intuitive instructor, and instructs other surgeons in robotic surgery. She is very active in research and is a primary investigator on several ongoing research projects. She enjoys helping with community outreach, and was one of the founding board members of JOWMA.
Since October 2023 Dr. Hellmann has been active in running JOWMAs medical mission to Israel, and continues to develop the program to foster relationships between medicine in the US and Israel.