Guide For Kohanim

A Guide for Kohanim When Visiting Hospitals

A kohain should avoid entering a hospital unless there is a need.
A kohain may enter a hospital for a medical need or for the need of his immediate family. This includes personally seeking medical care, accompanying a relative, or visiting a relative. The kohain may also visit any relative where family tension may occur if the kohain does not visit.
Whenever possible the kohain should keep the door closed during his visit. He may then stay as long as he wishes.
The kohain should not linger about in the hallways but should enter and exit without delay. This means that a kohain should not take a stroll through a hospital, or enter the hospital to speak to a friend or to purchase lunch. (There is no need to rush through the hospital, but a kohain should avoid remaining in the hallways for a protracted time.)
The kohain should avoid making social calls in a hospital; however one may visit with a patient to the extent that he is fulfilling the mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim (visiting the sick).
Wherever possible the kohain should avoid restricted areas of the hospital.
If the kohain becomes aware that there is a Jewish deceased person in the hospital, he should leave the hospital immediately (unless he is attending to the needs of a critically ill patient).
When possible the kohain should try to inquire (of the Jewish chaplain) in advance whether there are Jewish corpses on the premises.

These are only general guidelines and the kohain should discuss these issues with his rabbi regarding when and how to conduct visits in the hospital.

These guidelines are only for hospitals that have a minority of Jewish patients. (Most hospitals in America fall into this criteria.)

Concerns for Kohanim with Overhanging Tree Branches

T’uma can be transferred from a grave by overhanging tree branches. It may be possible for t’uma to spread from tree to tree. This applies whether one is walking, cycling, or riding in a car. Therefore the cRc recommends the following:
A kohain should circumvent any tree branches that overhang both a Jewish cemetery and the road/walkway.

Such tree branches are present at:

New Light Cemetery – westbound driving lanes and sidewalk on Pratt Avenue, between Hamlin Avenue and East Prairie Road in Lincolnwood.
Memorial Park Cemetery – Jewish graves abut Gross Point Road. and parts of Skokie Boulevard and Old Orchard Road. The only possibly problematic tree overhangs are over the right most northbound lanes on Skokie Boulevard.
Jewish Graceland – northbound sidewalk on Clark Street, between Grace Street and Irving Park Road. (The trees do not currently overhang the driving lanes.

If the tree branches overhang a non-Jewish cemetery it is preferable to avoid the overhanging tree limbs. If they are not easily avoided, a Kohain may drive under them (preferably with the windows closed).

Chicago Area Museums & Zoos: A Kohain’s Guide

Last Updated: June 5, 2019

Key:

Access to this area is permitted to Kohanim
Access to this area is problematic for Kohanim
See accompanying box for further details

Adler Planetarium 1300 Lake Shore Drive 312.922.7827		There are no reasons to suspect any issues. This was also checked with a curator.
Art Institute 111 South Michigan 312.443.3600		The Art Institute has an Egyptian mummy on display. The museum also has several reliquaries that contain small bone fragments.
Brookfield Zoo 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield 708.485.0263		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Chicago Botanic Gardens 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe 847.835.5440		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Chicago Children’s Museum 700 East Grand Avenue 312.527.1000		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Chicago Cultural Center 78 East Washington Street 312.477.6630		There are no reasons to suspect any issues. This was also checked with a member of the administration.
Chicago History Museum 1601 North Clark 312.642.4600		It has been confirmed that the remains of John Lilane are not in the museum.
The Field Museum of Natural History 1400 South Lake Shore Drive 312.922.9410		The museum contains over 25 mummies, numerous skeletons, and other human remains. To access the research areas contact the cRc.
The Goodman Theatre 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago 312.443.3811		The theatre is in possession of a human skull that is used in some performances.
Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois Museum 4255 Main Street, Skokie 847.677.4640		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
International Museum of Surgical Science 1524 North Lake Shore Drive 312.642.6502		The museum contains many human remains.
Lincoln Park Areas approximately between North Avenue and Wisconsin Street Map		Part of current day Lincoln Park was the former city cemetery (areas approximately between North Avenue and Wisconsin Street). The cemetery was not necessarily properly removed. Rabbi Schwartz permitted the Kohain to enter all areas of the park barring the area that was the former Jewish cemetery. That area is currently in the in the Southwest section of the park, below the baseball fields.
Lincoln Park Zoo 2001 North Clark Street 312.742.2000		The main zoo area posses absolutely no problem for a Kohain. The main barn (red) at the Farm in the Zoo has remains beneath it and is therefore a prohibited אהל המת. [See also Lincoln Park]
Loyola University Museum of Art 820 North Michigan Avenue 312.915.7600		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Millennium Park Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Monroe 312.742.1168		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian 2600 Central Park, Evanston 847.475.1030		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Morton Arboretum 4100 Illinois Route 53 Lisle, IL 630.968.0074		In the main section (east side), there is no issue. In the west section, there is a small cemetery. This contains the graves of about 9 people, all members of the Morton family of the salt company fame. (Some may be Jewish.) This cemetery is just to the south of the Thornhill Education Center. The cemetery is surrounded by a fence. However, it is unclear whether there are any trees that overhang from the cemetery and spread any tumah. If there is a continuous stretch of overlapping trees that overhang a grave there may be a problem. This does not seem to be such an issue in this case. We would however recommend that a kohain just steer clear of the area where the cemetery is.
Museum of Broadcast Communications State Street and Kinzie 312.245.8200		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Museum of Contemporary Art 220 East Chicago Avenue 312.280.2660		The museum has an exhibit with human bones.
Museum of Contemporary Photography 600 South Michigan Avenue 312.663.5554		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Museum of Science & Industry 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive 773.684.1414		The museum contains a whole brain, prenatal specimens, and sections of the human body.
Navy Pier 600 East Grand Avenue 312.595.7437		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Oriental Institute Museum 1155 East 58th Street 773.702.9514		The museum contains four mummies as well as numerous human remains in storage.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum 2430 North Cannon Drive 773.755.5100		The museum contains one human skeleton, which has a חלל טפח.
Sears Tower- Sky Deck 233 South Wacker 312.845.9696		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Shedd Aquarium 1200 South Lake Shore Drive 312.939.2438		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Smart Museum of Art – University of Chicago 5550 South Greenwood 773.702.0200		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.
Spertus Museum of Judaica 618 South Michigan Avenue 312.322.1417		There are no reasons to suspect any issues.

Notes:

Before planning a catered event at any of these areas please contact the cRc.
To report or inquire about any other potential problems for Kohanim please email [email protected].