annual conference on visiting the sick: “stories and the bikur cholim experience”

Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating CouncilJewish Board of Family and Children’s Services135 West 50th Street, 6th FloorNew York, NY 10020

TOGETHER WE CREATE CARING COMMUNITIES.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. postage

PAIDNew York, NY

Permit No. 2374

REGISTRATION & LIGHT BREAKFAST

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME

MORNING KEYNOTERabbi Paysach KrohnInternational lecturer, prolific author of the famed “Maggid” series

MORNING WORKSHOPS

LUNCH AND NETWORKING

AFTERNOON KEYNOTEPeninnah SchramStoryteller, teacher, author and recording artist, Professor of Speech and Drama at Stern College of Yeshiva University

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

CLOSING PROGRAM WITH MI SHEBERACH PRAYER FOR HEALING

8:45AM

9:30AM

9:45AM

10:30AM

12:00PM

12:30PM

1:15PM

3:00PM

24th Annual Conference Visiting the Sick~ Bikur Cholim Sunday, November 13, 2011 | 8:45AM - 3:30PMUJA-Federation of New York 130 East 59th Street, New York, NY

This is the book of the generations of Adam … Genesis 5:1

With appreciation to Plaza Jewish Community Chapel and

24th Annual Conference Visiting the Sick ~ Bikur CholimSunday, November 13, 2011 | 8:45AM - 3:30PMUJA-Federation of New York 130 East 59th Street, New York, NY

MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care for their support

THE RABBI ISAAC N. TRAININ

BIKUR CHOLIM

COORDINATING COUNCIL

BIKUR CHOLIM

The Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council of JBFCS offers synagogues, schools, and community groups consultation and follow-up support for the training of visitors and organizing and maintaining of Bikur Cholim/ Caring Committee programs.

We thank our conference co-sponsor UJA-Federation of New York for its ongoing support of bikur cholim as a core volunteer activity that helps to build and sustain a caring Jewish community, and for additional support from Plaza Jewish Community Chapel and MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care.

Home Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Email:

Synagogue/Organization Name:

Organization Address:

WORKSHOP CHOICESParticipants attend one workshop in the morning and one in the afternoon.Please list your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices by using the numbers indicated next to the workshop description.

MORNING SESSION

First Choice Second Choice Third Choice

AFTERNOON SESSION

MORNING WORKSHOPS • 10:30AM-12:00PM

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS • 1:15PM-2:45PM

From Adam onward, the collective narrative of our people repeatedly highlights stories of individuals taking responsibility. These stories of individuals who act with compassion and goodness guide us and inspire us today. In our times, it is our responsibility to “write” new stories, new chapters filled with acts of kindness. By doing so, we link ourselves to tradition, bind ourselves to each other, and make a difference in repairing the world.

The keynotes and interactive workshops will provide inspiration and practical skills in writing, sharing, living, and listening to our own stories and those of others.

Your donation helps and will be listed in our Honor RollDonation amount $ ___________

___ In Honor ___ In Memory ___ For a Healing _______________ Other

Name of loved one _____________________________________

1) Essential Visiting Skills: The How To’s Rosa Roberts, LCSW, JBFCS, Consultant, Jewish Community Services Practical skills to help you approach visiting people in a variety of settings with confidence: what makes a visit successful, how to begin and end a visit, visiting do’s and don’ts, what to say and not to say, issues of boundaries and confidentiality.

2) Visiting with Someone at End of LifeAmy Levine, LCSW, Director, JBFCS Doula to Accompany and Comfort “What do I say?” “What can I do?” “What if they can’t speak?” Learning skills and understanding your role will help you handle your own fears, stay present, and offer valuable support to those who are seriously ill and help foster healing and connection.

3) The Powerful Remedy: Bringing Hope and Healing through HumorNeal C. Goldberg, Ph.D., Founder/Executive Director, Lev Leytzan: The Compassionate Clown Alley, Inc. On shpilkes about visiting? Illness is stressful; visiting patients needn’t be. Effective use of humor can help you use moments that may otherwise feel awkward or despairing. Learn tools such as visualization, temperature readings, and centering to help you find and create humor and experience the reciprocal joy that your visit can bring.

4) Jewish Meditation for Self-Care Neria Cohen, Director, Creative Soul Journeys, Artist and Lecturer Learn to quiet your mind and focus your heart. In addition to promoting relaxation and reducing stress, Jewish meditation allows you to connect to a deeper soul awareness, supports healing, and is an excellent form of self-care for caregivers.

5) Visiting Skills for Teens Jonathan Katz, LCSW, Director, JBFCS Jewish Community ServicesTeens make a difference in the lives of people they visit. Have fun while learning practical skills to visit with confidence and to make a successful visit. Learn how to begin and end a visit, what to say and not to say, visiting do’s and don’ts, and more. Bring your friends.

6) The “Turkey Prince” Chaburah: Stories that Teach Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz, MA, LMSW, Director, Jewish Family Well-ness Center, LIA study group (chaburah) in sacred stories, engaging and grappling with text, relating to it in a personal way, and hear-ing others share their feelings and their understanding can lead to profound insight. Rebbe Nachman of Breslev’s stories such as “The Turkey Prince” and other Chassidic stories bear out lessons for life and can offer a unique experience borne of such shared Torah study.

7) Mirrors and Reflections: Self-Discovery on the Bikur Cholim JourneySherry Reiter, Ph.D., LCSW, Registered Poetry and Drama Therapist, Director, The Creative “Righting” CenterScientists have discovered mirror neurons; in other words, we reflect each other. As a Bikur Cholim visitor, you may play different roles: the story-teller, joker, Yiddishe Mama, or even Elijah, bringing a cup of hope. Using stories, writing, and discussion, this workshop examines the impact of visiting the sick on the visitor and explores its significance in our own quest for healing and wholeness.

3:30 Film Viewing of “Turn to Me”

1) Community BuildingRabbi Frederick L. Klein, Director, The Jewish Chaplaincy Program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation What inspires us and prepares us for the task of organizing a group? What are key components of an effective program? Learn from a dynamic model of collaboration and share strategies on developing a healing community.

2) Filling in the Gaps – Visiting with Seniors and moreAlan Magill, Director of Programming, Ateret Avot, PlaywrightWhat are “meaningful interactions” with people with dementia and age-related memory loss? Sharpen your listening skills and communication techniques. Discover the joy in connecting with those who may seem hard to reach.

3) Using the Telephone for VisitingTamar Landes, LCSW, Associate Executive Director for Community Relations, DOROTFrom your cell, work, or home phone, you can bring comfort and support and make a difference in someone’s life. Learn effective communication skills to make a visit by phone to a homebound person. “What do I say?” “How do I handle silence?” “How will I respond if they say…?”

4) Lessons on Prayer from the ChaplaincyRabbi Daniel Coleman, BCC, Staff Chaplain, Department of Pastoral Care & Education, North Shore University Hospital, LIHow do you pray and what do you pray for with someone who is ill? Craft custom-made prayers and discover the art of prayer. Explore the possibility of offering unstructured prayers spoken spontaneously as you react, engage, and respond to visitees.

5) Playing Bridge: Being an Effective LiaisonToby Weiss, MSOD, Director of Cultural Sensitivity and Jewish Programming, Metropolitan Jewish Health System “How can I help?” Learn ways to facilitate the community/fam-ily/medical support system, to rally around the needs of the ill. Learn what to ask, how to build agreement and alliances, define boundaries and work with what you have, and construct a resource list to benefit those in need of assistance.

6) Comics and Adventures in Bikur CholimRobert Lebowitz, LMSW, Published Cartoonist and IllustratorLearn about bikur cholim through drawing your own cartoons and gain skills in using cartooning to teach others about this mitzvah. For parents, teachers, and kids-at-heart. No art back-ground needed.

7) “I Feel like I’m Sinking.” Metaphor in Bikur Cholim Interactions Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, LCSW, Rabbinic Director, JBFCS New York Jewish Healing CenterMetaphors make their way into and out of experiences of illness, suffering, and healing. Using Jewish texts and participants’ experiences, we will explore practical methods to take hold of them and respond, using tools such as reframing, substitution, attentiveness, and presence.

Fees:$36 for individuals(includes light breakfast and lunch) kosher dietary laws observed Early registration:$30 (postmarked by Oct. 12) Synagogue Groups: 10% off for groups of 4 or more

Checks payable to JBFCS/BCCCMail to:JBFCS Bikur Cholim Coordinating CouncilAttn: Conference135 West 50th Street, 6th FloorNew York, NY 10020Directions:N,R,Q Train to Lexington Avenue4,5,6 to East 59th StreetEarly morning street parking available.Parking lots: 58th Street between Park and Madison and 59th Street between 1st and 2nd AvenueFor more information:Call: 212.632.4730 Fax: 212.399.2475Email: [email protected]: www.jbfcs.org/bikurcholim

For additional registration forms:Visit: www.jbfcs.org/bikurcholim

The powerful Bikur Cholim documentaryfeaturing commentary by Elie Wiesel