Baby Blankets Bring Generations Together

Port Washington residents, and members of The Community Synagogue, came together to make a difference to preemies at local hospitals.

Julia Garfin, recent Bat Mitzvah and MPOW (Port Washington Jewish Youth Group) student, knows first-hand how difficult and scary it can be for babies and families who are in the NICU. Both her cousin and brother were preemies and for her Bat Mitzvah project, she wanted to do something that would help comfort these little babies.

Several years ago on Mitzvah Day, a day of helping the community and giving back at The Community Synagogue, Diane Heiman, a congregant, was instructing others how to make blankets for babies in the NICU. Julia participated in this project at the time and it meant so much to her that she wanted to reach out to Diane for some guidance on how to make his happen for her project. Rabbi Zeplowitz was instrumental in connecting Julia and Diane and soon they were knee deep in fabric and thread.

Diane and Julia spent an entire day shopping for fabrics and supplies and then Diane taught her how to create these special blankets. When all 49 cozy and beautiful blankets were finished, Diane along with her husband Dr. Howard Heiman, a neonatologist, took Julia to the NICU at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center to deliver blankets and he followed that up with a tour of the unit. Diane and Julia also delivered blankets to North Shore Hospital. The nurses at both facilities expressed how grateful and appreciative they were because they were running low on blankets.

Julia is very thankful to Diane for making this project a reality and loved getting to know her and work with her. Julia received a thank you note and a picture of a preemie snuggled in her blanket which made her feel grateful to be able to help a family and make a difference at a difficult time.

This is a beautiful example of the ways our community connects, inspires, and touches the lives of those who are a part of it. Two women from different generations came together to repair the world and impacted one another and so many members of the greater community through their relationship and shared commitment to Jewish values. #commsyn