OU and Partners to Present When Serious Illness Strikes, At Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, Jan 16

21 Dec 2007

OU AND PARTNERS TO PRESENT WHEN SERIOUS ILLNESS STRIKES, AT CONGREGATION KEHILATH JESHURUN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
125 East 85th Street
New York, NY 10028
Wednesday, January 16, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

In recognition that when serious illness strikes an Orthodox family, a whole range of difficult decisions – religious, medical, legal and financial — have to be made in accordance with Jewish law, the Orthodox Union, the Metropolitan Jewish Health System and The Jewish Healing and Hospice Alliance, an initiative of UJA-Federation of New York will present a free communal symposium, When Serious Illness Strikes and Decisions Have to Be Made: Who Decides – the Patient, the Physician, the Rabbi, the Family? A Practical Guide for Orthodox Families.

The symposium is part of a national initiative of the OU Department of Community services. It will be held Wednesday evening, January 16, from 8:00-10:00 p.m. at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, 125 East 85th Street in Manhattan.

The program will consist of a panel discussion to be moderated by Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein, the rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.

“When there is very little time, families are faced with tremendous pressure to make the right choices. The evening’s presenters are experts in their fields and will provide educational information for today’s families to make appropriate and informed choices at the right time,” declared Frank Buchweitz, OU Director of Community Services.

The program will include several key topics:

• Halachic Considerations, with Rabbi Tzvi Flaum, of Congregation Kneseth Israel of Far Rockaway; Mashgiach Ruchani, Lander College for Women;

• Legal and Financial Aspects, with Eytan Kobre, Esq., eldercare attorney;

• Medical Challenges and Concerns, with Beth Popp, MD, Associate Program Director of Hematology/Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine;

• Family Support Services, with Rabbi Jay Yaakov Schwartz, MSW, Rabbinic Liaison, Metropolitan Jewish Health System.

For more information, contact Frank Buchweitz, OU Director of Community Services, at 212-613-8188, or frank@ou.org, or visit www.ou.org or call Toby Weiss at 718-759-4342, or tweiss@mjhs.org.