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Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council

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Annual Bikur Cholim Conference

Highlights from the 19th ANNUAL BIKUR CHOLIM CONFERENCE: Turn to Me: Faces and Phases of Bikur Cholim

"Turn to me and be gracious to me for I am lonely and afflicted" (Psalm 25:16)

On Sunday November 12th, 2006 over 200 members of the Jewish community, including two dozen teens, group leaders, rabbis and communal professionals, and students of Jewish studies participated in the 19th Annual Bikur Cholim Conference at the newly renovated UJA-Federation building in New York City. [See 2006 Conference Photos]

Keynote speaker Rabbi Dr. Harlan J. Wechsler, spiritual leader of Congregation Or Zarua in NYC, shared moving insights and messages of healing from a kabalistic text, Maavar Yabbok. [Order the keynote speech on DVD or VHS]

Skilled, experienced and wonderful presenters led the various morning and afternoon workshops relating to the mitzvah of visiting the sick. Participants chose from a spectrum of topics, many of which were new to this year’s conference but included fundamental workshops on visiting and organizing. Download the Resource Guide provided at the conference. See below to download handouts from selected workshops.

Lunchtime offered opportunities for repast, relaxing and reconnecting. Renovations at UJA enabled us to arrange the food in various meeting areas on the 7th floor, which encouraged people to move about freely and take advantage of various nooks and crannies where they could comfortably shmooze. Attendees could also attend a networking session on chevra kadisha or one on telephone visiting. Clergy had the opportunity to lunch and connect with one another. The film Turn to Me, [Order the Film and Study Guide], was shown in one of the workshop rooms.

A new resource offered by the Coordinating Council and which complements the film Turn to Me was unveiled in the afternoon workshop "Bikur Cholim Training Video: The How To’s." Shoshana Shinnar Coordinator of the Bikur Cholim of Westchester produced this interactive training video to be used by groups looking to hone their visiting skills, as new or seasoned volunteers. The film comes with a Leader’s Guide that offers helpful suggestions and answers to the questions presented on the film. [Order Bikur Cholim Training Video]

Thanks to Stacie Thaw of the Bikur Cholim Executive Committee, we once again were able to raffle off beautiful prize baskets chock full of goodies. Congratulations to our fortunate raffle winners!

The conference ended with participants standing together in a circle at the close of the day with a blessing for strength and compassion, led by Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz, a workshop presenter. A final prayer led by Rabbi Rackman commemorated those who’ve passed on.

Who attends?

The five Boroughs, Long Island, New Jersey, Baltimore, Arizona, Canada, are just some of the places represented at the conference. From teens to grandparents, new visitors and seasoned ones, freelance visitors, and established groups, from Yeshiva to college campus, people came to learn, contribute and honor the mitzvah of visiting the sick. We welcome and thank our new and old affiliates [See Affiliation Form] in attendance, as well. Being together was a source of inspiration and encouragement. The life skills gained from this mitzvah pertain to all of us and provide tools to learn about ourselves and build community.

"Very inspiring - very informative."

"Excellent ideas from speakers, presenters and those attending."

"I always come away with new insights & techniques on how to deal with painful situations & great way to make contacts."

"I found both the sessions I attended very interesting but I found the keynote speaker in the morning really fascinating."

—Feedback from Participants at the 2006 conference.

2006 Conference Workshops

AM WORKSHOPS
  1. Basic Bikur Cholim Training: The How To’s - Rosa Roberts
  2. For Teen Visitors Only: Our Visions, Our Voices, Our Visits - Jonathan Katz
  3. Simple Steps for Organizing or invigorating a Bikur Cholim Program - Susan Rosenthal, Sheva Tauby [Download Handout]
  4. The Power of Visualization to Comfort and Reenergize - Rabbi Steve Moss
  5. Bikur Cholim Over the Long Haul: Challenges and Opportunities with Chronic Illness - Rabbi Simkha Weintraub [Download Handout 1, Handout 2, Handout 3, Handout 4]
  6. Being Present at Life's End - Amy Levine, Maxine Skurka
  7. The Art of Listening - Rabbi Uzi Weingarten [Download Handout]
  8. Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practices - Rabbi Jonathan I. Rosenblatt
LUNCHTIME NETWORKING SESSIONS
  1. Chevra Kadisha - David Zinner
  2. Clergy
  3. Using the Telephone for Visiting - Tamar Landes
PM WORKSHOPS
  1. The New Bikur Cholim Documentary - Jonathan Katz
  2. Bikur Cholim Training Video: The How To’s - Rosa Roberts, Shoshana Shinnar
  3. Advanced Directives, Health Care Proxies: Making Choices, Honoring Choices - Judith Kahn
  4. The Face of the Tzaddik (Holy Person) - Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz
  5. Ethical Wills: Passing on Our Legacy - Helene Jaffa, Esq. [Download Handout]
  6. The Art of Giving Advice - Rabbi Uzi Weingarten [Download Handout]
"I knew very little when I arrived - I left a little wiser."

"I learned about how to hold the self ego at bay and let others enter my life."

"I learned numerous ways of speaking to people. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing."

"It is a place of great learning which always finds innovative ways to teach."

"It reenergizes me each year. I take back new ideas & concepts."

—Participants in the November 2006 conference.

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©2011 Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council
135 West 50th Street, 6th Floor · New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 632-4730 · Fax: (212) 399-2475 ·
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