JBFCS
Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council

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Annual Bikur Cholim Conference

Highlights from the 20th ANNUAL BIKUR CHOLIM CONFERENCE: Comforting One, Caring for All: The Wisdom of Bikur Cholim

235-plus participants packed the conference hall bright and early on Sunday November 11th, 2007 for the 20th Annual Bikur Cholim Conference. These included members of the Jewish community, two dozen teens, group leaders, rabbis, chaplains communal professionals, and students of Jewish studies. People came from the tri-state area with some national and international guests. Those with diverse backgrounds within bikur cholim, Judaism and other faiths, attended. [See 2007 Conference Photos]

Keynote speaker Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, offered a moving presentation in which he shared insights into the wisdom of bikur cholim [Order the keynote speech on DVD or VHS]

Members of our executive committee (Bob Wolf, President), Robyn Blumner and Ilise Bernstein (member and chairperson) greeted the group and welcomed our new and old affiliates .

Skilled and experienced leaders led a spectrum of new morning and afternoon workshops relating to the mitzvah of visiting the sick including the basic fundamentals on visiting and organizing. Download the Resource Guide provided at the conference. See below to download handouts from selected workshops.

During lunch, which featured the lively Shul musicians, Chava Rose, on behalf of the Coordinating Council presented Academy Award nominee Director Murray Nossel with a full size framed poster of Turn to Me, the documentary on bikur cholim over which he labored so lovingly and from which we all benefit.

Thanks to Stacie Thaw of the Bikur Cholim Executive Committee, we once again were able to raffle a beautiful prize basket chock full of Chanuka goodies. Congratulations to our fortunate raffle winners as well as to the winners of our door prizes!

The conference concluded in a peaceful and thoughtful way with attendees 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 final prayer, kel maleh rachamim, led by Rabbi Rackman commemorated those who've passed on.

As it has been for the past 20 years, 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.

Participant comments from the 2007 conference:

"Excellent sessions. Wonderful new suggestions. Participants were active & personal; sessions were interactive."

"Good to hear from others what works & to get stimulation & encouragement."

"Impressed upon me the importance of Bikur Cholim and realization of boundaries of help."

"This conference managed to stress the importance of Bikur Cholim so beautifully & was inspiring to volunteers & informative for coordinators, directors."

"Very concrete ways to visit & to understand why it is we visit and how to be of service to ourselves and our families."

2007 Conference Workshops

AM WORKSHOPS
  1. Basic Visiting Skills: The How To’s, Rosa Roberts
  2. For Teen Visitors Only: Our Visions, Our Voices, Our Visits, Jonathan Katz & Chani Ozarowski Newman [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  3. Visitors: Ready, Set, Go, Sheva Tauby [Download Workshop Handout PDF] [Handout 2]
  4. Love Your Neighbor: Lessons and Limits, Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub [Download Workshop Handout PDF] [Handout 2]
  5. Timeless Wisdom, Contemporary Science and Bikur Cholim, Dr. Isaac Schechter
  6. "Where Am I?", Alan Magill [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  7. Healing Imagery: Guided Visualization for Comfort and Strength, Rabbi Steven Moss [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  8. When Illness Strikes Home: Visiting Family and Friends, Rabbi Dr. Jonathon Rosenblatt
LUNCHTIME NETWORKING SESSIONS
  1. Turn to Me Viewing
  2. Klezmer band performance
  3. Presentation of Turn to Me poster to Murray Nossel
PM WORKSHOPS
  1. Listen to Learn, Brenda Mamber [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  2. The Master of Prayer, Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  3. Ask an Organizer, Susan Rosenthal & Louise Goldberg [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
  4. Ethical Wills - Passing on Our Legacy, Frank Terna
  5. Visiting People with Mental Illness, Rabbi Benjamin Samson & Dr. Robert Bloch
  6. Using the Telephone for Visiting, Tamar Landes
  7. Addiction and Bikur Cholim, Sharon Hermon, JACS and teens
  8. The Harmony of Healing, Dr. Leslie Faerstein

Save the date for our 21st Annual Conference on Sunday November 9, 2008 in NYC!

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©2008 Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council
120 West 57th Street · New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 399-3524 · Fax: (212) 399-2475 ·
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