A Beyond Shelter story – Ilene Claudius

Working in an Emergency Room, I’m used to the unexpected, but this was not a scene I’d previously encountered.  A woman was clutching her infant, flanked by fully armed police officers.  It seemed she had disclosed her homelessness to a clinic where she had taken the baby for her first vaccines, and they had called several organizations that planned to take away her child.  I felt a strange affinity with the woman- something about the way she looked at her infant reminded me of the mix of love and anguish I had felt handing over my newborn daughter when I was taken in for surgery.

Being close to 5PM just preceding the Christmas weekend, I wasn’t holding my breath for a miracle.  Our hospital had no beds to keep the child in, no other hospital would accept a transfer of a completely healthy child whose only indication for admission was my subversive desire to allow the mother to keep her baby, and most shelters would soon be closing for the night.  Somehow, I had with me the number for the Beyond Shelter Crisis Center to which our congregation’s generous donations of food and diapers have been sent.  I was surprised to get an answer, and even more surprised when Tanya Tull, the founder, got on the phone and helped arrange for housing for my patient and her mother (and delivered a box of donated supplies for the child).  In the true spirit of the name, her actions reached far beyond providing shelter, to allow the mother to keep her child.

We have all been fortunate to take advantage of Rabbi Klein’s initiative in pairing our temple with this amazing organization.  The boxes of food, books, and coats in our hallways make it so easy to participate in community service, and to teach our children its value.  I am certain that the relationship between Temple Isaiah and Beyond Shelter built upon your donations facilitated their care of this homeless woman, and I thank you for this, and encourage your participation throughout 2007.  I can’t help but wonder how many stories there will be of a small act of generosity having such a great impact.