Jewish Spiritual Care

Sometimes life leads us in unexpected directions. When faced with divorce, addiction, job loss, serious illness, the loss of a loved one or a traumatic event, UJA-Federation understands that many people seek out answers to larger questions about the meaning and purpose of their lives. And many turn to the rituals, traditions, and rich resources that Judaism offers to find support and comfort.

The Challenge

Research has demonstrated a link between spiritual well-being and positive health outcomes. And yet, many professionals in the social work, medical, and mental health fields are not always equipped to deal with their clients’ spiritual concerns.

During times of pain or crisis, people do not always know where to turn to ask such questions as “Why is this happening to me?” or “What gives my life meaning?”

Patients and clients — affiliated or unaffiliated — may not know how to access Jewish resources as a source of comfort and understanding.

In Israel, there has been an increasing recognition of patients and clients' unmet spiritual care needs and the absence of spirituality as a dimension of care within the medical and social service establishment.

UJA-Federation’s Response

• Through our support, rabbinical students from the Center for Pastoral Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary serve as chaplain interns within our health and social services agencies.
• We support educational programs, including a post-masters certificate program currently offered by the New York University Silver School of Social Work, which have trained hundreds of professional and student physicians, social workers, and rabbis about the intersection of spirituality and their practice.
• Our funding helps to ensure that spiritual support is provided through Jewish healing centers in New York, in the form of support groups, bereavement groups, individual counseling, and healing services.
• Our Jewish Spiritual Care Professional Advisory Task Force brings together more than 60 rabbis, social workers, chaplains, healthcare providers and others who work together to elevate spiritual care as a legitimate intervention for those who are suffering or in crisis.
• To date, more than 600 patients and their families at Metropolitan Jewish Health System's (MJHS) Mollie and Jack Zicklin Hospice Residence have had access to qualified chaplains who counsel, offer prayer, conduct Jewish holiday celebrations, and see families through the time of bereavement.  
• Last year alone, nearly 250 families with a relative who was facing serious illness were attended to by rabbis who serve as Spiritual Care Coordinators at our three Regional Care Centers.
• Chaplaincy services were provided to 22 nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Westchester communities through program funds provided to the New York Board of Rabbis. We also support a professional chaplain in the new pediatric palliative care unit at Cohen Children’s Medical Center at North Shore-LIJ Hospital.
• We’ve launched the field of Jewish spiritual care and chaplaincy in Israel, funding 20 organizations that provide services in Israel’s major hospitals in Jerusalem, the Negev, Haifa, and Tel Aviv, as well as other community settings, serving the elderly, terror victims, at-risk youth, cancer patients, and others.
• In only four years, dozens of Israeli professionals have been trained as spiritual care providers, and thousands of recipients have benefited from the spiritual care support they have received, thanks to our burgeoning efforts to create and legitimize this new field of service in Israel.
• UJA-Federation, along with Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judiasm, held a conference entitled “Addressing the Spiritual Journey of Jews Beyond Midlife,” attended by 200 lay leaders, clergy, and professionals from UJA-Federation beneficiary agencies. (For audio clips and the conference toolkit, please visit www.rrc.edu/spiritualjourney).

Your Dollar:

• $2,000 can pay for a chaplain to be trained to work in one of our network hospitals, social service agencies, hospice settings, or in the larger community.
• $200 can pay for a model Passover Seder for patients and their families at the Mollie and Jack Zicklin Hospice Residence.
• $160 can pay for a bereavement program for individuals who have suffered a loss as a result of terror in Israel.
• $90 can pay for an individual who has suffered a loss to attend a five-session spiritual support group, bereavement group, healing service, or individual counseling session.