2008 Annual Conference, The Rabbi Isaac N. Trainin Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council

Highlights from the 21st ANNUAL BIKUR CHOLIM CONFERENCE
I Will Awaken the Dawn: The Transformative Power of Bikur Cholim

[See 2008 Conference Photos]

Sunday, November 9, 2008
UJA-Federation of New York, 130 E 59th St, NYC
Keynote Speaker: Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, Former Air Force chaplain and pulpit Rabbi in Tokyo and NY, expert on "righteous persons" rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, noted author.

2008 Conference Workshops:

MORNING WORKSHOPS 10:30-12:00

Basic Visiting Skills: The How To's
Rosa Roberts, LCSW, Consultant, Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs/JBFCS
Basic practical skills to help you approach visiting with confidence; what makes a visit successful, how to begin and end a visit, visiting do's and don'ts and what to say and not to say.
For Teens Only: Our Visions, Our Voices, Our Visits
Jonathan Katz, LCSW, Director, Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs/JBFCS
Teens make a difference in the lives of people they visit. Explore through discussion, role-play and text how to bring energy and creativity to this important mitzvah. Bring friends!
Constructing an Effective Visitors Program
Sheva Tauby, Co-Director, ivolunteer
Starting with ourselves, what inspires us, and guides us? Are there specific abilities, and preparation that we may bring to the task? Are there effective "pitches" to recruit and engage people and keep them involved? One woman's story of steering a bikur cholim "ship." [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Finding One's Self in Bikur Cholim
Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, LCSW, Rabbinic Director, New York Jewish Healing Center/JBFCS
Visiting those who are ill and "being present" can sometimes feel daunting. "How do I respond to their pain?" "Will it be depressing?" are questions we may confront. Explore the possibilities for growing self-awareness, identify strategies for self-monitoring with curiosity, and "finding the Torah" in visits with those who are confronting illness and suffering. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Filling in the Gaps - Visiting with Seniors
Alan Magill, Director of Programming, Ateret Avot
"Filling in the gaps/with those whose concentration can stray/listening to their "music"and meeting them half-way." What are "meaningful interactions" with people with dementia and age-related memory loss? Sharpen your listening skills. Learn varied communication techniques. Discover the joy in connecting with those who may be hard to reach. Interactive and experiential. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Lessons from the Chaplaincy, on Prayer
Rabbi Daniel Coleman, Staff Chaplain, Department of Pastoral Care & Education, North Shore University Hospital
How do you pray and what do you pray for with someone who is ill? Learn to offer and craft your own custom made prayers (sometimes called "spontaneous prayers") as you react, engage, and respond to those whom you visit. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Comics and Stories from Bikur Cholim
Robert Lebowitz, MSW, Published Cartoonist and Illustrator
How can you use cartooning to teach about bikur cholim? Learn the basics of how to draw your own cartoon and encourage others to share their story. For parents, teachers and kids-atheart. (No art background needed.)

LUNCHTIME NETWORKING SESSIONS

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS 1:15-2:45

The Basics of Visiting: The How To's
Rosa Roberts, LCSW, Consultant, Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs/JBFCS. See AM workshop.
Using the Telephone for Visiting
Sandra Cohen, LCSW, Director, CheeRing, JBFCS
From your cell, work, or home phone you can make a visit and make a difference in someone's life. Learn how to effectively visit a homebound person regardless of their age, challenges or geographic location. "What do I say?" "What if there's silence?" "How will I respond to...?" Role play will be used to help address these questions and others. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Organizing Youth Programs: Advice from the North East and South of the Border
Elena Bialostocky, Coordinator, Bikur Cholim Kehilla Ashkenazi, Mexico; Marilyn Klein, Founder, Josh Klein Bikkur Cholim, Harrisburg, PA; Dr. Marc Kramer, Ed.D. Executive Director, RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network
Find out about innovative, fun and meaningful ways to engage children and teens in bikur cholim. Learn what the benefits are for youths, parents, and their visitees when they perform the mitzvah. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
The Faith-full Visitor
Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz, MA, LMSW, Rabbinic Liaison, Metropolitan Jewish Health System Department of Hospice and Palliative Care, Rabbi, South Nassau Communities Hospital, LI.
Learn to enhance the power of your bikur cholim encounter with Jewish spiritual tools including emunah (faith), simcha (joy) and hitbodedut (self- formulated prayer). Create an empowering mindset that fosters courage in facing difficult circumstances. Chassidic stories and texts will be used. [Download Workshop Handout PDF]
Caring for the Caregiver
Anna Kirshblum, LCSW, Social Worker, Shira Ruskay Center, JBCFS
Fact: Caregivers frequently neglect their own health and well-being while caring for another. Learn tips for identifying when youÕre feeling stressed, recognizing symptoms of burnout and strategies to avoid exhaustion.
Ethical Wills — Passing on Our Legacy
Helene Jaffa, Esq., Eldercare Lawyer, Private Practice
Communicating with others through writing what we believe value and hold dear is our legacy to those we love. Learn how to document these messages for ourselves and help those we visit do the same. Journals provided.
Comics and Stories from Bikur Cholim (Teens and Collegiates Only)
Robert Lebowitz, MSW, Published Cartoonist and Illustrator
Have fun learning the basics of drawing your own cartoon and discover a fresh way to see bikur cholim.
Support and Self Care for Coordinators
Susan Rosenthal, LCSW, Coordinator, National Center for Jewish Healing, JBFCS; Barbara Goldman, MSW, Co-Chair Bikkur Holim Committee of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun
Join others who lead or are working to build a visiting program in small or large communities, to help each other with common concerns, challenges, and opportunities.

©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 ·
[JBFCS site] [Jewish Connections Programs]