"My bone marrow transplant was just days before Passover. Because my parents could not find housing that would accommodate themselves and my two sisters, they were forced to send my sisters to stay with family in New York. Being so sick, it would have made a huge difference if I could have spent the holiday with my entire family. Facing Leukemia as a teen is hard enough - being isolated from family just makes it that much tougher."

Ephraim Goldenberg

"The joy of Rachayl's birth soon turned into a chaotic nightmare of confusion, complications and surgeries. The Jewish Caring Network mobilized to help us. We're used to being a very self-sufficient family, but they were life-savers, changing an overwhelming situation to one of hope and promise.

Our daughter is now almost two years old and we so appreciate all the love and compassion we received.

One particular difficulty was the constant travel to and from Johns Hopkins. Many nights were spent sleeping in a chair at the hospital or on an office couch. A residence like the one The Jewish Caring Network is now planning will be an incredible help for other families who find themselves in a similar situation."

Dr. Derek and Lauren Fine
with Rachayl

"When we returned home from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with our medically-fragile 2 month-old son, The Jewish Caring Network stepped in, anticipating our every need. From grocery shopping and catered Shabbat meals to a cleaning service in our home, their sensitive and loving volunteers eased our day-to-day responsibilities so we could focus fully on caring for Yaakov Chaim for the one year that he lived.

The Tikva House is one more invaluable way they will help others. It is a much needed resource which will allow families to concentrate on taking care of their loved ones - it will change lives."

Mrs. Gail Feinstein with picture of Yaakov Chaim, of blessed memory

"Even though we lived in town, it would have been so much easier to stay near Hopkins when I was being treated for cancer. When I was too weak to travel to and from treatments, we could have used the Tikva House. When my husband was just too exhausted to drive back home again, just to return a few hours later, we could have used the Tikva House. When my mother was sick with cancer and had to stay at Hopkins, we could have used the Tikva House. When we had to navigate through a horrible snow storm and were barely able to get home, we could have used the Tikva House. This house will be an invaluable service for sick people and those who care for them. Take it from me - I have been there.

I didn't need the financial help of the JCN, but the care and concern they showed me - doing all the little things for me so everything didn't fall on my husband's back - that was worth a million dollars."

Karen Kayser Schwartzman

"My first husband, Rabbi Ervin Preis, was very seriously ill for over four years requiring many lengthy in-patient procedures at Johns Hopkins Hospital. It was necessary that I be at his bedside as much as possible. When feasible, I slept in his room, but there were many occasions when this was not permitted (he was in ICU). On those occasions, I imposed on some of my physician friends to use their office floor or I slept in the lobby on an inflated air mattress brought from home."

Anita Preis Rubin