What could possibly be considered a landmark in Yerushalayim, perhaps not the building necessarily but the institution, Bikur Cholim Hospital looks like it is going to be shut down.Bikur Cholim has been having serious financial difficulties for many years, and is finally going to have to close its doors. No new funding has come in, so that's it. The government decided they were not going to throw any more good money after bad, and no new private money has been located, so that's it.
It really is a shame, as Bikur Cholim is the only hospital, small as it may be, serving downtown Jerusalem. granted, Jerusalem is not such a big city, and other hospitals are not that far away, but in a city that has often been racked by terror, having a hospital in the downtown area has been very useful, unfortunately, in the past.
Besides for its usefulness in its location, Bikur Cholim is the oldest hospital in Jerusalem, and really in all of Israel. It first opened its doors in the Old City in 1826, and moved to its current location in 1925. Bikur Cholim was the project of many gedolim and rabbonim of Yerushalayim through many many years. Just because of its history it is a shame it has to close.
Unfortunately, that is the way of the world. It is no longer profitable, and thats the way it is.
After many attempts to find ways to keep it open, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said that nothing has worked out and Bikur Cholim is going to close. They can no longer keep it open.
After the announcement, the members of the Badat"z have written letters to people of influence (including Members of Knesset) urging them to find ways to keep it open, stressing how important it is to be open and provide its services to the area.
I wonder why they themselves did not try to take it over and find funding. It really is their "baby", as the majority of its patients are from the Geula and Mea Shearim areas. Obviously it is not exclusive, and it serves residents from all over Jerusalem (Jews and Arabs alike), but it really is identified as a stronghold of the Eida and Mea Shearim.
That being the case, I am surprised they did not take it over. they could have gone fundraising for it just like they do for all their other institutions. Satmar is very well known for their chessed in the medical field in America, and they could have been recruited to help find funding for the hospital.
It is a shame it has to close, and I am surprised the Eida did not try to take it over, but only urged other people to try to save it.. I don't blame them, as it was not their responsibility, just am surprised it did not happen.
