11/03/2022
𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠!!
Let's get one thing clear from the off. I absolutely love what I do for a living. Always have. Being a filmmaker and media guy, being constantly creative and a massage therapist to my imagination is a very blessed way to spend my days. No matter who the client or how big or small the task in hand, I embrace with a full body hug and squeeze the process of producing something from nothing that aims to achieve an important objective for the people who have hired me. The most important thing in a production is the people involved and the journey we collaborate on together to tell a particular story. So yeah, this calls for a hearty baruch Hashem and huuuuuge thanks to the Big H!
This past Tuesday I visited Laniado Hospital in Netanya for a short sesh of filming and to scope out a new filmmaking project. For those who know me well so they know that I have a very special connection to the original founder of the hospital, the Klausenberger Rebbe, and his incredible life story. Let's just say that he has been top 5 most influential people on my life, certainly with regards to what it truly means to be a Jew and how to approach one's life. Laniado Hospital stands, flourishes and cares for people simply because of this one man's extraordinary selfless commitment - after being shot by a N**i on a death march - to one day build a medical establishment should he survive the hell of the holocaust. Laniado Hospital is the result of that spoken dedicated choice. Every atom, molecule and cell in that building is kadosh - holy - in the sense that an ordinary, physical human being chose to use his days on earth to help others, to elevate suffering and to make better the life experience of thousands and thousands of men, women and children, no matter what their beliefs, behaviours, religion or race. Holiness (kedusha) is not something spooky or mysterious in the "other world", it's not something beyond the reach of a simple man or woman and it's certainly not detached from our physical reality. It's right here where we walk, talk and reside when you choose to do a simple act of goodness. God and his gift to us called goodness is manifest when human beings choose to be Godly.
What touched my soul in such an incredibly deep, profound and moving way on Tuesday was because, as the pictures below show, I stood in Laniado's brand new Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Over the past years I have be involved in creating 2 films focused on the NICU - one for the Laniado UK office and the other for the Laniado USA office. The latter took me into the empty shell building of the unfinished NICU in 2018 which stood awaiting further funding (of which my film focused on) in order to complete the job and transform potential into reality.
To stand as I did in the same places where I stood holding my camera a few years ago, shooting and interviewing the wonderful head of NICU Dr Aryeh Simmons and head nurse Eti Litig, to look around now and see high tech, state of the art life saving medical equipment, to take in the gorgeous colours on the walls, the contemporary decor and relaxed atmosphere, to be able to breathe freer in the roomy space that replaces the old cramped, pokey department.... well, it was an overwhelming, emotionally positively charged and joyous experience. I kept on saying to Aryeh and Eti "this is a dream come true" and they agreed. To know that now little babies will be cared for in this amazing environment and their parents and families will have a greater sense of ease in what is a highly stressful situation, is literally the stuff of dreams.
These special, unique moments - the culmination of so many people's hard efforts and generosity of spirit and money - tell you everything you need to know about how good this world can be and sometimes is. Words cannot express how grateful and appreciative I am to Hashem and to the people at Laniado for giving me the responsibility to help in the little way I did. The Klausenberger's heroic strength, born out of his magnificient Jewish faith and trust in Hashem, truly lives on through the dedication of the amazing Laniado staff.
My NICU film from 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28-m2jKZs0w&t=4s
