Triple Kiddush and More

Did you ever wonder about the guys who recite the Kiddush in a hospital or old-age home? I did. After all, who has time to go around to all the floors of a health institution to do it? Certainly not I. Nor would I serve its purpose-being as I am a woman.       One day I found out by chance who does recite the Kiddush at the Beit Avot (old-age home) in Tzfat. I was leaving a friend’s home when a woman stopped us to inform my friend that plastic cups were needed at the Beit Avot. I, of course, was curious.  Afterwards I asked my friend about the request and was told that this woman and her husband make Kiddush every Shabbat night in the Beit Avot. I thought to myself, “Here is a story!”      Chayim and Bracha Zaklad took on this special chessed about a year and a half ago after being guests by a family for the night of Shvi’i shel Pesach (the 7th night). The wife of the family was so impressed with Chayim’s melodious voice that she suggested he recite Kiddush at the Beit Avot. He listened to her suggestion and coordinated with her and the rabbi at the Beit Avot. Shortly thereafter Chayim and Bracha were traipsing up and down three floors of stairs every Friday night. Not always an easy task to do within the Halachic parameters in the summertime when meals in any health institute (hospital or old-age home) are served like clockwork – 8am , 12pm, and 6pm.      Bracha, even before marrying Chayim was a volunteer for many years in the English Library in Tzfat, as well as scrounging out thrown away bottles for recycling and bringing these bottles to the proper recycling dumpster.       Hmmm!  Kiddush commitment “tripled”, book-duty, and caretaker of our Land. What well-rounded acts of chessed!