Los Angeles Jewish Home's Blog: Jewish Wisdom And Wellness Conference

Los Angeles Jewish Home's Blog

Thursday, April 9, 2015
Jewish Wisdom And Wellness Conference

Would you like to learn more about how Judaism impacts health and well-being? Do you know about Jewish healing? Have you wondered what Judaism has to say about end-of-life care? These topics and much more will be explored through 90+ workshops during the Jewish Wisdom and Wellness Conference held April 26th through May 3rd throughout Greater Los Angeles.

The week of learning is an interdisciplinary, community-wide series of events, lectures, and experiential classes hosted across the streams of Jewish life by community organizations and synagogues. It is sponsored by the Kalsman Institute of Judaism & Health HUC-JIR and Cedars-Sinai. All events are free and the public is invited. For a full listing of events, please visit www.jewishwisdomandwellness.com.

As part of its continuing commitment to the community, the Los Angeles Jewish Home is proud to be part of this exciting conference. Several staff from the Home's Skirball Hospice are involved in multiple presentations as workshop leaders:

The Truest Acts of Kindness: Revitalizing Judaism's Holiest Practices is a series of four workshops sponsored by the Jewish Burial Society of Southern California, focusing on the work of the chevra kaddisha or holy burial society. Hospice staff leading these workshops include Chaplain Muriel Dance, Rabbi Arinna Shelby, and Rabbi Janet Madden along with other presenters.

The first workshop is an introduction to taharah (ritual washing of the deceased). This workshop will be offered at both Shomrei Torah, 7353 Valley Circle, West Hills and at Ikar at the Westside Jewish Community Center, 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles on Sunday, April 26 at 10 am.

The second focuses on green burial and introduces a range of Jewish teachings on the care of the earth, as well as green burial options in Los Angeles. This workshop will be offered at Temple Akiba, 5249 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City on Monday, April 27 at 12 pm.

The third workshop introduces participants to unorthodox spiritual washing ceremonies and the rituals that families may choose to provide for their deceased loved ones at home prior to burial. This workshop will be offered at Wilshire Blvd Temple, 3663 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 pm and at University Synagogue, 11960 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 29 at 11:15 am.

Finally, a Death Café will be offered which will provide a safe and confidential space for people to discuss anything and everything related to death with the goal of helping people make the most of their finite lives. This workshop will be offered at Congregation Tikvat Jacob, 1829 Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach on Monday April 27 at 7 pm and at a location to be announced on April 30th at 7 pm.
The December Project is a workshop based on the teachings of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z"l. The workshop provides an opportunity to engage with issues that arise in the lives of individuals, families and congregations when an aging loved one enters the "December" time of life — issues around health and illness, relationships and healing, and shifting identities and roles. This workshop will be facilitated by Chaplain Muriel Dance at Leo Baeck Temple, 1300 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, on Wednesday, April 29 at 10 am - 11:30 am.
Wrestling with End-of-Life Decisions from a Jewish Transdenominational Perspective explores the impact of Jewish law on life-sustaining treatments such as CPR, intubation, and artificial nutrition and hydration. This workshop will be facilitated by Doug Morin of Jewish Home Care Services and includes speaker Rabbi Arinna Shelby and panelist Dr. David Wallenstein among others. It will be held at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, Eisenberg Village Campus, 18855 Victory Blvd., Reseda on Wednesday, April 29 from 7 pm - 9 pm.
It's Enough Already! is a program that explores when it is time to cease nutrition and hydration when dealing with issues of dementia and other end-of-life diseases, and to allow an end with spiritual, physical and emotional dignity. This workshop will be led by Chaplain Amy Altshuld at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, Eisenberg Village Campus, 18855 Victory Blvd., Reseda on Thursday, April 30 at from 7 pm - 8:30 pm.

The lectures, classes and events offered during the Jewish Wisdom and Wellness Conference promise to be informative, engaging and enlightening. For more information and to register, please visit their website atwww.jewishwisdomandwellness.com.

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