We Can Handle It

While there are dozens of tzaddikim out there selflessly helping Yidden navigate the medical world, using their contacts for intervention and treatment that might not have happened otherwise, the nature of the medical askan business — when dealing with a vulnerable, desperate population — unfortunately sometimes lends itself to exploitation as well.

My own chavrusa, a longtime hospital physician, has infinite praise for the dedicated people who play a pivotal role in healing Klal Yisrael, but he also had decades of stories to share regarding pseudo-medical askanim. There was the fellow who was recommending expectant women to go for prenatal surgeries in Netherlands, while the doctor was actually experimenting on a dangerous new technique. Then there was the askan directing people to an ophthalmologist in Romania who was charging Israelis 50,000 shekels for a laser treatment that could cure glaucoma, while this Romanian doctor had learned his method from the chief eye surgeon at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem who was offering the same surgery for free through Kupat Cholim.

With this in mind, I was a bit wary when my next appointment showed up. Instead of a solo patient accompanied by his rabbi — the appointment had been booked by a fellow named Rabbi Reuven Abramson, who said he’d be coming in with a talmid who’d been acting strangely and needed an emergency evaluation — an entourage of young chassidishe men entered the room surrounding a bewildered-looking young man whom they shoved into a seat. This case had “bad askan story” written all over it.

I was prepared to meet a concerned rabbi and his talmid and, G-d willing, develop a plan of action to help the bochur recover from his disabling symptoms. But what actually happened was different from anything I could have expected.