Rachel Chalkowski

Rachel Chalkowski (Hebrew: רחל שלקובסקי; born 1939) is an Israeli midwife and a gemach organizer. Widely known as Bambi,[1] she is a Haredi Jew, and is married to Rabbi Moshe Chalkowski, founding principal of Neve Yerushalayim College for Women. She worked for over 43 years as a midwife at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, and set up a charitable foundation to help impoverished Haredi families.

Rachel Chalkowski
Born
Rachel Bamberger

1939 (age 83–84)
Paris, France
Other namesBambi
OccupationHead midwife
EmployerShaare Zedek Medical Center
SpouseRabbi Moshe Chalkowski
Websitewww.matanbseterbambi.org

Biography

She was born Rachel Bamberger in Paris in 1939, and had one sister and one brother, the latter being born after their father was taken prisoner by the Nazi-allied government in 1944; her father was deported to his death in the Auschwitz concentration camp.[1] Always determined to become a nurse, she emigrated to Israel at age 15 to live with relatives in Haifa, and attended Bais Yaakov High School before enrolling as a student nurse at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. After completing her nurse's training, she took a midwifery course, and embarked on her life-long career.[1] She worked at Shaare Zedek Medical Center for 43 years,[2] becoming Head Midwife, and delivering more than 35,000 babies.[3][4] After retiring from her full-time post at Shaare Zedek, she continued to work there for two nights each week. She asserts that: "Being a midwife is the most beautiful career in the world."[1]

Matan B'Seter Bambi

Noting the poverty of many new mothers from the Haredi sector, who often have large families and must help support them, Chalkowski established a foundation in 1973[4] called Matan B'Seter Bambi, named after Chalkowski's nickname from her days as a student nurse, when it had been necessary to give nicknames to several students all named Rachel.[1][5] The foundation has an annual budget of about US$1 million, has 35 branches across North America and Europe, and is coordinated by volunteers in New York.[5] It supports over 400 needy families monthly.[6]

Documentary

Chalkowski and Haredi educator Adina Bar-Shalom are featured in the 2009 documentary film Haredim: The Rabbi's Daughter and the Midwife.[7][8][9]

Personal

She is married to Rabbi Moshe Chalkowski, founding principal of Neve Yerushalayim College for Women.[10] The couple have an adopted daughter, Michal, and two grandsons.[5]

References
  1. Siegel-Itzkovich, Judy (20 October 2007). "Welcome to the world!". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  2. "An Evening of Remarkable Highlights at the Annual Dinner". Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  3. Jessel, Adam (2007). "Jerusalem's Bambi". torah.org. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  4. "About the Founder". Matan B'Seter Bambi. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  5. Kotkes, Leah (27 November 2006). "A Glimpse Into the Life of Rebbetzin Rochel Chalkowski" (PDF). Binah. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  6. "2014 Women of the Channel: Francine Geller". crn.com. 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  7. Rubin, Debra (14 January 2013). "Film shows complex lives of haredi women". New Jersey Jewish News. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  8. Fine, Arlene (29 September 2010). "Intimate look at Israel's haredi community". Cleveland Jewish News. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  9. belfilms. "The Rabbi's Daughter & the Midwife". IMDb. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  10. Fort, Aviva (31 July 2014). "Neve Yerushalayim". Jewish Link of New Jersey. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
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