Who Shall Live? Health, Economics and Social Choice
Victor R. Fuchs

Victor Fuchs draws on a deep understanding of the strengths and limitations of economics and his intimate knowledge of health care institutions to help readers understand the problems every nation faces in trying to allocate health resources efficiently and equitably.
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Judaism and Disability: Portrayals in Ancient Texts from the Tanach through the Bavli
Judith Z. Abrams

Judaism and Disability: Portrayals in Ancient Texts from the Tanach through the Bavli document attitudes toward disabled people in the earliest centuries of this ancient culture.
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Health Care Meltdown Confronting the Myths and Fixing our Failing System
Bob LeBow M.D., M.P.H

In this book Dr. Bob LeBow tackles this monumental issue with clarity and forthrightness. His prescription for our health care quagmire is a national health program which includes universal coverage, as is the case in every other industrialized country.
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JCPA Supports Comprehensive Health Insurance Reform
https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5145/images/Microsoft Word - August recess memo-Healthcare Reform Leave-Behind.pdf

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs strongly supports health insurance reform that provides affordable, quality healthcare for all. One of the organization's priorities is ensuring that the most vulnerable benefit from health insurance reform and have access to needed care.

Healthcare Reform
http://urj.org//about/union/governance/reso//?syspage=article&item_id=1918

The Union for Reform Judaism is a community voice to include reform of the healthcare system as a social action priority. Below are links to several items, starting with a Resolution passed by the URJ at the 2007 Biennial to support state initiatives to expand access to appropriate and adequate health insurance, followed by a link to Rabbi Eric Yoffie's sermon on expanding health coverage.

Adopted at the 69th General Assembly
December, 2007
San Diego, CA
Health insurance and healthy living

Click here for the text of Rabbi Yoffie's sermon (PDF)

Women's Health
http://urj.org/about/union/governance/reso/?syspage=article&item_id=2052

The URJ also supports healthcare equity and evaluation, and as early as 1993, passed a Resolution to advocate for Women's Health equity legislation and advocacy programs which add gender considerations to treatment, testing and access options.

Adopted at the 62th General Assembly
October, 1993
San Francisco, CA
Women's health

Judaism and Healthcare Resources
http://urj.org/about/union/governance/reso/?syspage=article&item_id=2052

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism has also provided Resolutions and resources on healthcare reform. Sources on healthcare in Jewish law are included.

USCJ Position Paper & Resource Guide: The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Project Chessed
http://www.jfsdetroit.org/chessed.htm

Project Chessed is a Jewish Family Service program that connects the medically uninsured to a network of volunteer providers.

Congregational Advocacy
http://www.shaarzahav.org

Congregation Sha'ar Zahav is part of the San Francisco Organizing Project. SFOP is a faith-based organization made up of congregations and schools that work in the public arena on issues of importance to member congregations, such as education, housing and healthcare. The congregation was involved in helping bring universal healthcare to San Francisco. For more information about their activities, go to: http://www.shaarzahav.org

Advanced Directives, the Electronic Medical Record, and Jewish Values
Diane F. Roosth
This article discusses several health care issues faced by Jewish populations including Health Care decision making in regard to Advanced Directives.

Connecting American Values with Health Reform
In this essay set, eleven authors each examine a different foundational value, and what its policy implications are if taken seriously. The materials offer core American values that might form a reinforcing foundation of consensus for health reform, and surely connect and can be translated to Jewish values.

Healthcare Sermon Example
Rabbi Don Goor, of Temple Judea, Tarzana, California, focused on the area of healthcare reform in his 2008 Erev Rosh Hashana sermon. Rabbi Goor is former chair of the Kalsman Institute Steering Committee. His congregation is the URJ's Healthcare Coordinating Congregation in Southern California.

Click here for a copy of the sermon (PDF)

SAN FRANCISCO Supes give final OK to health care coverage
Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously gave final approval Tuesday July 25th to a plan to provide health care coverage to the city's uninsured residents. This ambitious effort is nearly a year away from becoming reality and still could face legal challenges.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/26/BAGCTK5I021.DTL

Sacred Vocation: Mending Healthcare Work
Dr Benjamin Amick and Rabbi Samuel Karff
This program transforms the work of health care professionals to a "sacred vocation", one that helps those who work in a hospital to see themselves as healers and to appreciate that being a "healer" is part of what gives meaning to a person's life.

PDF

Health Care Requires Resuscitation
Nancy Sokoler Steiner
Jewish Journal -This article responds to the continuing crisis in this country of millions of Americans without health insurance.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/searchview.php?id=10449
End of Life Care: Why Has It Been So Difficult?
Ten essays by some of the most influential thinkers who helped shape the ethical and legal framework for end-of-life care over the past 20 years.

In May 1993, President Bill Clinton brought the results of the White House Task Force on Health Care Reform to Congress in the form of legislation. At that time, American Jewish groups proposed resolutions on healthcare in support of access to affordable and equitable healthcare.
http://www.thehastingscenter.org/news/features/eoldecade.asp
Lasting Wishes
Marshall S. Zola
There is no simple solution to the complex problem of determining future medical decisions. Zola discusses the California Health Care Decisions Law passed in July 2000 and the challenge that it requires to balance the interests of many different parties.
PDF
URJ NFTY
The National Federation of Temple Youth, of the Union for Reform Judaism
For the 2005-2006 year, NFTYites all over North America will be closely examining problems in our world's healthcare systems and identifying reasons why so many human beings do not have access to proper healthcare. The action theme, R'fuah Sh'leimah : The Renewal of Mind, Body, and Spirit, centers on healthcare, mental health, and substance abuse from a social justice perspective.
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=8312&pge_prg_id=32563&pge_id=4314