For more than 70 years Friends of the Sick (Chevrat Bikkur Cholim), has provided help and support to members of the Jewish community who struggle with old age or illness.

We complement what larger social welfare organisations offer and provide an important alternative to residential care.

We work closely with communal organisations such as Jewish Care, the AJR, Shalvata and synagogue care committees as well as with local councils and GP practices and support people from all shades of religious observance.

We respond to requests for help with minimum bureaucracy. Our approach is informal and friendly.

We ask for a small contribution to cover part of the costs for our services. In some appropriate cases, we reduce or waive our charge.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

In 1947, there was no organisation in the Jewish community to help look after ill or convalescing people; shortly after the second world war, there were very few trained nurses available and babies were delivered at home with the hope that a doctor or nurse could assist and that friends or family could provide a helping hand.

Rabbi Solomon Schonfield called a meeting on 1st December 1947 at the Hendon Adath Yisroel Synagogue where he spoke about the need to organise volunteers to visit sick people in their homes or in hospitals and to support nursing mothers by looking after other young children in the household.

The Society was established and named Chevrat Bikkur Cholim for Northwest London. With much support from the community, the Society became well known and received many requests for help every week.

When Chevrat Bikkur Cholim celebrated its 25th Jubilee, it was honoured to have the Chief Rabbi Lord Jakobovits, Emeritus Chief Rabbi Rabbi Brodie and Haham Rabbi Gaon as Patrons. Since then, all successive Chief Rabbis have graciously agreed to become one of our Patrons.

Today Friends of the Sick (Chevrat Bikkur Cholim) carries on working closely with many communal organisations to provide care and support to members of the Jewish community.