Sinai Hospital Expands Resources for Sabbath-Observant  Jewish Patients and Families

New Sabbath emergency department route and educational guide reinforce Sinai's longstanding commitment to serving Baltimore's Jewish community

Baltimore - For more than 150 years, Sinai Hospital has proudly served Baltimore's Jewish community while providing compassionate, culturally sensitive care to patients of all faiths. As part of that ongoing commitment, Sinai Hospital has outlined a new walking path and process for observant Jewish patients seeking emergency care on the Sabbath. 

Led by Sinai Hospital Chaplain Rabbi Jeffrey Orkin in collaboration with Dr. Jerald Insel and local rabbinic leaders, the initiative includes new signs outlining an updated route for Sabbath-observant patients seeking care in the Emergency Department. The updated route comes after the completion of a three-year, $50 million modernization and expansion of the Sinai Hospital emergency department. 

“Patients should never delay emergency care on the Sabbath over concerns about an eruv-appropriate path. We are proud to work with our faith and community partners on this new route that, in some cases, may be shorter to get to Sinai’s emergency department and provides greater protection from inclement weather,” explains Rabbi Jeffrey Orkin, Sinai Hospital chaplain.

Those seeking emergency care on the Sabbath should either enter through the Shabbat entrance to the Blaustein Building or the main front entrance after another person has opened the automatic doors. Once inside, they should tell the main lobby receptionist, "I am a Sabbath-observant Jew. Please provide me with a Sabbath escort to accompany me to the Emergency Department."

A member of the security team will escort the patient and anyone accompanying them to the Emergency Department, opening electronic security doors along the route as needed.

Patients arriving directly at the Emergency Department entrance are encouraged to wave to the security officer before approaching the automatic doors. Whenever possible, the officer will open the doors for them. Laminated instructions explaining the Emergency Department access process will also be placed at hospital entrances, providing clear guidance for both visitors and employees.

The new route and signage build on the many accommodations Sinai Hospital already offers to support Jewish patients and families. These include three Sabbath elevators, with additional signage planned to make them easier to locate throughout the hospital; the Bikur Cholim Room, a hospitality room stocked with Kosher meals and snacks, around-the-clock kosher food options and more. The Sinai Chapel welcomes people of all faiths and offers religious texts and a quiet place for prayer and reflection.

In support of this initiative, the pastoral care team is developing a comprehensive online guide for community and staff that provides practical information about Jewish religious practices and accommodations, including birth and end-of-life care as well as Shabbos and holiday observances. For those unable to access electronics on the Sabbath, shortened print versions of the guide will be available at the hospital. 

"Sinai Hospital has a longstanding relationship with Baltimore's Jewish community, and we are continually looking for ways to strengthen that partnership," concludes Rabbi Orkin. "These enhancements help ensure that patients and families can focus on what matters most: their own healing or their loved one's care, knowing their religious traditions and practices are understood and respected."

For more information about Sinai Hospital's religious accommodations and patient services, please contact Sinai Hospital’s pastoral care department. 

About Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore is a 438-bed medical complex located in northwest Baltimore. Sinai Hospital is Maryland’s largest community hospital and third largest teaching hospital. Founded in 1866 as the Hebrew Hospital and Asylum, Sinai Hospital is a nonprofit healthcare organization with a mission of providing high-quality, compassionate patient care. Medical specialties include cardiology, orthopedics, neurology, oncology, rehabilitation and pediatrics. Sinai is the flagship hospital for LifeBridge Health, one of the largest, most comprehensive providers of health services in Maryland.