As a follow-up to its highly successful program last Saturday night, in which almost 200 people attended the Orthodox Union’s conference, When Serious Illness Strikes and Decisions Have to Be Made, in Teaneck, NJ, the OU and its partners in that conference -- the Rabbinical Council of America and the Metropolitan Jewish Health System -- will present a Professional Development Workshop for Rabbis: How to Facilitate Dialogue Between Rabbis, Doctors and Families When Serious Illness Strikes and Decisions Have to Be Made. There will be no charge for attendance.

The workshop will be held Thursday, March 16 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Orthodox Union headquarters, 11 Broadway in New York City and is a program of the OU Department of Community and Synagogue Services.

Topics will include:

The challenges doctors experience dealing with Orthodox patients;

Creating healing conversations that give strength and comfort to patients and caregivers;

The importance of a halachic living will and long-term care planning;

Guidelines used in end of life care that allow Orthodox patients to delegate a halachic advisor and physician;

Resources and services that can aid Orthodox families dealing with serious illness; and

Skills, tools and strategies that can be employed in helping individuals and families with end-of-life situations.

Panelist will include:

Dr. Alan Astrow, M.D., Director, Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center;

Rabbi Kenneth Auman, Rabbi, Young Israel of Flatbush, Past President, Rabbinical Council of America;

Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, Rabbi, Khal Bais Yitzchok, Brooklyn, NY;

Etytan Kobre, Esq., long-term care attorney;

Dr. Barbara Paris, M.D., Associate Chair of Geriatrics, Maimonides Medical Center;

Dr. Beth Propp, M.D. Associate Program Director of Hematology/Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine.