The Kalsman Partners comprise a network of professional and lay leaders impacting our communities through work in Judaism, health and healing. Presented on this page are samples of writings from the Partners, ranging from descriptions of programs and support groups to published material on using Jewish texts and resources for healing.

Author(s) Title Topic One Topic Two
Abraham, Marla Eglash, MAJCS, MSW The Changing/Changed Jewish Community and Implications for the Jewish Health and Healing Movement Jewish Community Health & Healing
Address, Richard F., Rabbi, DMin Creating a Nurturing Congregational Community Synagogue Community
Andiman, Ronald M., MD Neurology in the 21st Century

Kalsman Conference, April 2000

Dr Andiman speaks of the task of trying to predict future "progress" in medicine and how as in all technical arenas is peppered with pitfalls. He uses the example of the Human Genome to assert the validity of his theory.

Health Neurology
Barlev, Pearl, Rabbi, Editor
Medwin, Daniel, Graphic Design, Layout
Prayers and Readings for Healing and Comfort

From the UCLA Medical Center Department of Spiritual Care.

Prayer Healing
Berk, Eric M., Rabbi Months, Weeks, Days to Live End of Life Spirituality
Boxt, Rosalie, Cantor Seder K'riat Hatorah L'Shabbat: Reading the Torah on Shabbat (3) Blessings for Those Called to the Torah Prayer Judaism
Cushman, Philip, PhD A Burning World Midrash Psychology
Eber, Leslie M., MD A Cardiologist's View of Cardiology, Past and Future

Delivered at the Kalsman Conference "Re-imagining Illness, Re-imagining Health," April 2000.

Illness Health
Epstein, Nancy E., Rabbi, MPH, MAHL Judaism and Health

Commissioned by Urban Strategies, LLC, Arlington, VA.  Engagement Strategy to Enhance and Reinforce the Faith-Based Partnerships, sponsored by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Department of Health and Human Services. 2011.

Judaism Health
Feldman, Elizabeth, MD Through a Child's Eyes: Reflections on Birth and Death Death Spirituality
Feldstein, Bruce, Chaplain, MD Bridging with the Sacred: Reflections of an MD Chaplain Chaplaincy Spirituality
Feldstein, Bruce, Chaplain, MD Toward Meaning Chaplaincy Spirituality
Fenner, Natan, Rabbi, BCC Torah, Torah Study, and Torah Reflections: An Introduction

A brief and accessible introduction to Torah, Torah study and Torah Reflections, commentaries on the weekly Torah portion especially attuned to the themes facing individuals, family and friends facing illness, loss and other bumps in the road. This introduction includes a website address to the bi-weekly Torah Reflections organized and offered by the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center.

Prayer Judaism
Frank, Karen Kosarin, RN Bringing Caring to the Synagogue with Jewish Congregational Nursing

An introduction to Project Shin - an innovative and successful model of Spiritual Healing Integrating Nursing developed through collaboration between the Jewish Health and Healing Center of the JCC of Metro-West, New Jersey, local synagogues and Jewish senior center programs. It includes vignettes, program philosophy and methodology. This is an inspiring overview of how Congregational Nursing can help communities better respond to the needs of their elderly in a holistic manner and strengthen caring responses within synagogues.

Synagogue Community Nursing
Friedman, Dayle, Rabbi Seeking the Tzelem: Making Sense of Dementia Mental Illness Illness
Goldmann, Deborah Isaac's Blessing: Sermon on Chayei Sarah Prayer Sermon
Goldstein, H. Rafael, Rabbi, BCC Access to God: 54 Ways You Can Get Closer (Without the Internet)

The purpose of this compilation is to help individuals connect with Jewish spirituality and learning through the portal of easily accessible Torah commentaries. Each Torah portion is an access point, a password that has the potential for enabling the reader to make a connection to God and stimulate an interest in further Jewish learning.

Prayer Judaism
Hausman, Carol P., PhD Out of the Depth: Jewish Spiritual Support for Parents of Estranged Children

A journey through a multi-session Jewish spiritual support group for parents of estranged adult children complete with citations of biblical texts, stories and rituals used as triggers for exploring a broad range of complex feelings and issues. "The healing that took place with these parents arose from their connections to the ancient parents from their tradition; from the ability to comfort each other, from their having a place to tell their story and to be heard..."

Prayer Spirituality
Hochberg-Miller, Lisa, Rabbi Teshuva-Healing Prayer Sermon
Huttler, Yossi My Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Health & Healing
Kipnes, Paul J., Rabbi Mental Illness Sermon Mental Illness Sermon
Kipnes, Paul J., Rabbi Service for Honoring Caregivers Synagogue Community Caregiving
Levin, Dan Report Of The Livingston Committee For Healthy Community Culture Jewish Community Health
Levin, Jeff, PhD, MPH Jewish Biblical and Rabbinic Themes that Should Inform the National Healthcare Discussion Healthcare Judaism
Marder, Sheldon, Rabbi Text as Shelter from the Storm (excerpted from Jewish Pastoral Care, 2nd Ed. and also found in The Outstretched Arm on Shavuot)

An excerpt from the chapter entitled "God Is in the Text: Using Sacred Text and Teaching in Jewish Pastoral Care," which appears with complete citations in the volume Jewish Pastoral Care: A Practical Handbook from Traditional and Contemporary Sources (2nd Edition), Edited by Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, MAJCS, MSW, available from Jewish Lights Publishing.

Pastoral Care Prayer
Mills, Ilana Fourth Year Sermon - Parshah Tazria, May 31, 2011

Parshah Tazria, May 31, 2011

Student Ilana Mills, a two-time Kalsman pastoral intern, devoted her fourth year sermon to the topic of bereavement.

Sermon Death
Offel, Janet, Rabbi Dedicating a Marker (Unveiling) Death Prayer
Offel, Janet, Rabbi The Mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim: A Model for Building Community In Contemporary Synagogues Synagogue Community Pastoral Care
Offel, Janet, Rabbi When a Beloved Pet Dies Death Loss
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Rethinking... When Misheberach Isn't Enough Synagogue Community Prayer
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Jewish Prayer for Persisting Prayer Healing
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Healing as Metaphor Healing Spirituality
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Living Waters (Ordination Mikva) Mikva Spirituality
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Searching for the Eternal Light Switch Healing Spirituality
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Leaving Los Angeles Special Needs Health
Pelc Adler, Julie, Rabbi Support Group Special Needs Health
Prince, Michele, LCSW, MAJCS Judaism, Health, and Healing: How a New Jewish Communal Field Took Root and Where it Might Grow

This article is reprinted with the permission of the Jewish Communal Service Association, publishers of the Journal of Jewish Communal Service. For subscription information, visit JCSANA.org

Judaism Health & Healing
Prince, Michele, LCSW, MAJCS Preface to Midrash & Medicine: Healing Body and Soul in the Jewish Interpretive Tradition Midrash Judaism
Prince, Michele, LCSW, MAJCS
Levin, Jeff, PhD
Judaism and Health: Reflections on an Emerging Scholarly Field

Published in the Journal of Religion and Health
May 12, 2010

Judaism Health
Prince, Michele, LCSW, MAJCS
Bodenstein, Adi, MSW
A Program Assessment: Exploration of the Field of Judaism, Health, and Healing Through Program Review and Key Stakeholder Interviews Programming Health & Healing
Silverman, Gila S., MPH A Public Health Prospective on Religion - Health Connection

Until recently, the Jewish Healing movement has primarily combined Jewish teachings and traditions, social work and counseling. Yet there are other fields that have much to offer to Jewish Healing, in terms of models for practice, potential for collaboration, and theoretical frameworks. One of these is Public Health, although the connection between Public Health approaches and Jewish Healing has been little explored. This paper seeks to begin to bridge this gap, by exploring the social epidemiology of religion and spirituality, and discussing the significance of incorporating spirituality and religion into public health programming.

Public Health Judaism
Silverman, Gila S., MPH Tucson and the Healing Power of Community & Spiritual Practice Community Healing
Silverman, Sharona, MPH Advanced Jewish Healing Program (2nd year report of a 3-year project)

The Advanced Jewish Healing Program was developed at Temple Chai in Phoenix as a three year project called "Lilmode, Lelamed, Lenakhm" or "To Learn, To Teach, To Comfort." The main goal of the program is to deepen the participants' understanding of Jewish healing practices and the mitzvot of healing. As a result, the participants have opportunities to explore and implement projects intended to bring healing to their personal and professional work as well as the congregation and the community.

Sharona Silverman is director of the Deutsch Family Shalom Center, Temple Chai. 

Judaism Healing
Simonds, Joel The Yanov Torah and our Fragile Earth Sermon
Sirbu, Rebecca W., Rabbi Theologies of Suffering: How Judaism Can Help You Cope

Anyone who is trying to find meaning in their suffering, or who has questions about God and is seeking support or help from the Jewish tradition will find this booklet to be an accessible and helpful introductory resource. All of us struggle with how to create meaning and this booklet offers a glimpse of some of the many resources within Judaism. Included are highlights of three different theologies of suffering, a series of exercises to help clarify notions of God and some tools for how to cope with suffering.

Suffering Spirituality
Sokoll, Marjorie, BSW, MEd Healing Circles: A Manual for Integrating Spirituality into the Workplace

Healing Circles created especially for the workplace were an outgrowth of Jewish Healing Connections at JF&CS of Greater Boston. Since many of us face difficult challenges professionally and personally regarding illness or loss, Healing Circles are an innovative tool to provide support in the workplace. Healing Circles are essentially a gathering time for staff to experience shared support, connection and self-renewal. This "how to" manual provides a roadmap for offering Healing Circles in various workplace settings.

Healing Judaism
Spiegel, Marcia Cohn, MA Commentary on Leviticus 27: 1-7 Parshat B'hukkotai Text Judaism
Spiegel, Marcia Cohn, MA Forgiveness and the Jewish High Holy Days Forgiveness Judaism
Steinman, Eleanor, Rabbi The Stigma of Fertility Infertility Health & Healing
Stone, Suzy Fourth Year Sermon for Parsha Metzora

Suzy Stone, a rabbinical student, was a Kalsman pastoral intern during the summer of 2009 at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In 2011, Stone focused her fourth year sermon at the intersection of her community organizing interest and her desire to have as many people as possible execute an Advanced Directive form. Here is a link to her sermon for Parsha Metzora. Stone discussed the rituals of life, death, and illness in the Jewish tradition, measured against guidance from the Shulchan Arukh, which teaches that "a sick person should be encouraged to settle his affairs." Our student worked to catalyze members of the HUC community to fill out the AD form through her sermon and also by hosting a house event with Neil Wenger, MD to educate and answer questions. Wenger is a Kalsman partner and UCLA physician and bioethicist.

Sermon Advanced Directives
Sunderland, Ronald, EdD, Reverend The Congregation-Healing Institution Connection Spirituality Synagogue Community
Weintraub, Simkha Y., Rabbi, LCSW Meditation before Yom Kippur for One who Cannot Fast Yom Kippur Spirituality