In Artscroll’s book, “From Their Daughters’ Hearts, Part 2, written by Esti Florans, there is a beautiful story about Mrs Miriam Lubling a’h. She was a legend in her time. She was a one person medical referral system, an advocate, a supporter, a fundraiser, and a Hesed machine. She was a dynamo of a woman who would stop at nothing for someone in need. Anyone in the medical field knew her.
At the levayah of Mrs. Lubling, a total stranger stood up and insisted on speaking. This is what he shared: “I came from Israel with a very sick child to Boston Children’s Hospital. But the hospital wouldn’t admit my child unless I gave them a $14,000 deposit. I asked the Boston Bikur Cholim what to do — and they suggested I call Mrs. Miriam Lubling. “I reached her on her cell phone while she was in a car on the way to NYU. ‘You don’t know me, Mrs. Lubling,’ I began. ‘But maybe you know someone in Boston Children’s Hospital who could help me.’
“She asked me, ‘What’s the matter?’ “So I told her. “She said, ‘How much do you need?’ “Again, I told her. “She asked me for the name and number of the person in charge of billing. Fifteen minutes later, they told me that my child was being admitted. “But I was in Boston and she was in New York. I never had a chance to thank her…”
The man turned to the aron. “Mrs. Lubling,” he said, “Thank you!”
The family later found out from the woman driving the car that Mrs. Lubling had called the billing person in Boston and said: “Do you know who I am? I am on the board of NYU Medical Center in New York City. You can check it out. You take this child in right now and I will be responsible to send you $14,000 within a day!” She then called four philanthropists, and within one hour, raised the $14,000 she needed. Mrs. Lubling’s life’s motto, “You’ve got to do something to help!”
The reason that I like this story is that very often we tell stories of great rabbis and great leaders, but Mrs. Miriam Lubling was a regular housewife who lived in Washington Heights. She lived near Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and started off visiting people. Slowly but surely she saw that there was a need, and she got involved. She wasn’t necessarily trained in this field, but she dedicated herself to helping people and she became a legend in her own time. This is just one beautiful story of many, where she said, “You have to do something to help.”
Have a wonderful day.