The Orthodox Union’s Department of Community Services will present a free communal symposium, “When Serious Illness Strikes, and Decisions Have to be Made,” on Sunday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates.
The symposium is being co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Jewish Health System and the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates.
The event will provide a wealth of information for those seeking an explanation of the interaction between the patient, physician, rabbi and family, as matters of health and halacha (Jewish law) often intersect.
The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Frank Buchweitz, OU National Director of Community Services and Special Projects, and will feature:
• “Halachic Considerations,” led by Rabbi Aaron E. Glatt, M.D., Assistant Rabbi, Young Israel of Woodmere; President and CEO, New Island Hospital; and Professor of Clinical Medicine, New York Medical College;
• “Medical Considerations,” led by Beth Popp, M.D., Associate Program Director of Hematology/Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center; Associate Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine;
• “Legal and Financial Considerations,” led by Eytan Kobre, ESQ., Eldercare Attorney; and
• “Family and Support Services,” led by Rabbi Charles Rudansky, Director of Pastoral Care, Jewish Hospice and Palliative Care.
In light of Governor Paterson’s recent legislation granting New York hospitals authority to appoint someone to make medical decisions for an incapacitated patient, Mr. Kobre declared, “Under a new New York State law, patients who do not have a health care proxy in place will be assigned a surrogate to make end-of-life decisions on their behalf, including whether to terminate life support and withhold food and water from them. This change makes it urgent for all to whom the preservation of life is paramount to create a health care proxy that will ensure their rights and those of their loved ones are protected. The upcoming OU seminar will, among other things, review the new law and its implications for observant Jews.”
For more information, contact 718-479-7500 or office@yijc.org.