(L-R) Dr. Jonathan Ringo, chief medical information officer, LifeBridge Health; Neil Meltzer, CEO, LifeBridge Health; Joel Suldan, vice president and general counsel, LifeBridge Health; Amy Perry, president, Sinai Hospital; Rabbi E.B. "Bunni" Freedman, National Jewish Consultant for Seasons Hospice.

Her family relates that in a way, hospice was really the last passion of her life. Even when she was sick and had only enough energy to be active for an hour, she would use that strength to visit hospice patients. She would say, "I just don't want these people to be afraid," and she, in her unique manner, knew how to comfort and reassure them when others did not know what to say.

Rabbi Daniel Rose, Director, Seasons Jewish Hospice Services

To recognize her efforts and to perpetuate her memory, the gathering on December 20 marked the formal dedication of the new Gutman Kosher Kitchen in the Seasons Hospice unit at Sinai Hospital. While most Seasons patients are cared for at home, some patients who need more acute care move to a special Seasons Hospice inpatient unit, located within Sinai Hospital but with a calmer atmosphere than a hospital floor.

Dr. Jonathan Ringo, chief medical information officer, LifeBridge Health

For Jewish patients and families, the Gutman Kosher Kitchen is designed to make their stay as comfortable as possible: it contains a kosher eating area large enough for families, separate sinks, plastic goods, a hot plate for Shabbos use and Jewish books and seforim. The new kitchen features a plaque in memory of Laure as well as a poignant painting called "Laure's Vision", painted by her sister, Diane Liff, an artist from Jerusalem. Ariella Gardyn, Mrs. Gutman's daughter, devoted much energy and time into arranging the kitchen and Bikur Cholim of Baltimore will help keep the kitchen stocked.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand speaks at the dedication

The dedication of the Gutman Kosher Kitchen also marked another important milestone. It was through Seasons Hospice that Laure channeled her passion for this unique chessed: as a volunteer, she visited patients at the end of their lives, provided encouragement and comfort, and even selected the mezuza covers for the rooms on the inpatient unit. To help provide the benefits of hospice to the Jewish community, Seasons Hospice recently brought on Rabbi Daniel Rose, assistant rabbi at Congregation Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, to direct their new Jewish Hospice Services.

(L-R) Dr. Gary Applebaum, National Medical Director, Seasons Hospice; Diane Liff, Mrs. Gutman's sister; Ariella Gardyn, Mrs. Gutman's daughter; Audrey Ionta and Murray Daitchman, Mrs. Gutman's parents

Rabbi Rose acts as a liaison for families and rabbanim to make sure that care is provided in accordance with halacha, trains staff to be sensitive to the needs of Jewish families, educates patients and families about hospice and visits with patients and their families. In addition to his experience in the rabbinate, Rabbi Rose received training at Johns Hopkins Hospital in working with patients and families facing medical challenges.

Michael Kuiper, RN, Seasons Hospice; Diane Liff

"What hospice excels at is in helping people make the last months of their lives meaningful, minimizing pain, discomfort and fear," said Rabbi Rose. "Historically, some aspects of the hospice philosophy have made it difficult for frum patients to make use of its benefits. But Seasons has been remarkably flexible in understanding the needs of our community and accepting patients that other hospices would not."

At the dedication of the Gutman Kosher Kitchen, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, who knew Mrs. Gutman for many years, spoke about her special passion for hospice. "There is a certain stigma about hospice [in the frum community], and she wanted to dispel that." He added that even when she became sick, she never considered taking a step back from her activities; through her hospice work, she continued making a difference until her last days.

To honor Mrs. Gutman and her vision of Jewish hospice, several Seasons executives came especially for the occasion: Dean Forman, Executive Director of Seasons Maryland; Dr. Gary Applebaum, National Medical Director, who worked with Laure when she volunteered for Seasons; and Rabbi Bunni Friedman, National Jewish Consultant for Seasons, who traveled from Detroit.

Audrey Ionta and Murray Daitchman

Rabbi Rose added that the end of life is a uniquely challenging time as families face decisions, emotions and discussions that they have not had to consider before. "Mrs. Gutman understood how hospice accompanies patients and families at this stage of life, making it calm instead of chaotic. She wanted to educate the Jewish community about it. We hope we can, following her example, transform this vision of chessed into a reality."

Dr. Joel Pleeter; Devora Sanfield; Sharlene Pleeter

Together with her husband, Abe, her life's partner and companion in all her community projects, Laure Gutman devoted herself to being there for people when they needed her most. In the words of the plaque that now hangs in the space where she helped so many: "She graced us all with her selfless devotion to her family and our entire community, using her strength and faith to make the world a more beautiful place."