Page Twelve

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

Friday, September 27, 1946

SPIRITUAL THERAPY FOR JEWISH Is

services, both In a chapel, and to the rabbi whenever a Jewish
later ' over a public address sys- patient is admitted.
tem; and the playing of a spe-
This rabbi's greatest problem is
You don't cure the disease. You cial selection of Jewish records providing Jewish nourishment for
cure the person.
furnished by the JWB.
the veterans. Various local groups
With this in mind, r a b b is
Another rabbi concentrates on have been liberal in supplying the
throughout the country are admin- "bedside manner," for at the bed men with food for the holidays,
istering spiritual therapy to Jew- side is where he is compelled to and the JWB, in addition to fur-
ish veterans in hospitals under do most of his ministering to the nishing food, also makes available
the veterans service program of Jewish veterans. He serves a tu- holiday items, such as prayer
the National Jewish Welfare berculosis hospital, where JWB books, dishes, song books, and ce-
l3oard (JWB).
literature is distributed to the remonial objects.
Another rabbi has as his "beat"
Through this program, JWB men; the rabbi comes and chats
serves Jewish patients at 87 vete- with them, often helping them a mental institution where there
rans' hospitals throughout the out in their personal problems...In are 21 Jewish veterans of both
United States, 35 of which are some cases he is the only visitor World Wars. The constant ques-
served by visiting rabbis, 19 by the man has had in weeks or tion of the veterans of World War
members of its own professional months. This, coupled with the II is, "What were we fighting
staff, and 33 by volunteers and fact that the patient must usually for? What did we gain?" This
local JWB committees.
stay in bed for a long period, and rabbi's toughest job is to strength.
A friendly chat, religious ser- often without visible progress, en the morale of these younger
vices, writing personal letters for gives the rabbi a two-fold morale men and to help them adjust to
a situation where they find them
the patient, bedside visits, an in- headache.
Regular religious services are selves out of joint with the older
spirational talk, an occasional so-
cial service, cultural activities not always practical because most fellows of World War I. Still an-
such as simple readings and dis. of the patients are confined to other rabbi, also serving mental
cussions—all these are but a few their rooms, and many of them patients, conducts services which
of the Spiritual medicines which to their beds. Occasional holiday consist of prayer recitals. Al-
the rabbis administer to treat the services, Minchah prayers and re- though singing by the patients
mind and spirit just as a physi- sponsive readings are discussed. was difficult at first, they now re-
cian administers medicaments to Following the services, some of the spond and participate. In addi-
treat the body. Moreover, the rab- ambulatory patients get together tion, this rabbi tries to recall to
bi's functions and services extend in discussion groups, and refresh- them memories of their childhood,
and many of them join in the
beyond the areas of religious and ments are provided.
Often, when the rabbi has some singing of the prayers, remember.
spiritual ministration. He is a
"liaison officer" between the pa- special talent or hobby, he finds ing tune and words.
Relations between Jewish and
tient and his physician in helping that he can put that skill to the
to make medical treatment more most effective use in ministering non-Jewish veterans are healthy.
acceptable to the patient and in to the patients, with the whole- Discussion groups include the non.
strengthening his desire to get hearted approval of the hospital Jewish as well as the Jewish vete-
authorities. One versatile rabbi ran. When refreshments are
well.
served, the non-Jewish patient is
To find ways of improving this conducts a class in bookbinding
included, and when smokes, com-
service on the basis of the expe- in the occupational therapy course
fort articles, reading materials
while
another
gives
organ
recitals
rience, problems and activities of
and similar supplies are distrib-
rabbis who furnish this unique and musicales.
Another
rabbi
visits
a
naval
s i
l en.
spiritual therapy, tis
gaged in visitine,h p a in the hospital and a soldiers' home, at-
New England area in t /together tached to the hospital, where vet-
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
for the first time recently in the erans of World War I are quar-
Boston office of the JWB to ex- tered. The number of Jewish pa-
change views and learn from tients is not large, about 20 men Fullerton - Linwood
are there now, with a changing
each other.
Service
quota from week to week. The
One rabbi, who serves a gene-
UNITED MOTOR SERVICE
hospital commandant sends a card
ral medical and mental hospital
12605 LINWOOD
where 46 of the patients are Jew-
TO. 7.9233
ish, stressed the importance of

By LIONEL KOPPMAN

understanding psychology in order
to help the mental as Well as the
general patients. For the past
three years several of the psy-
chiatrists at the hospital have tak-
en this rabbi--under their wing
and given him a course in the
study and terminology of mental
illnesses.
Reading of Biblical and comic
books stimulates the men very
much, this particular rabbi point-
ed out. He discusses the content
with all who group around him.
On occasion the patients partici-
pate in songfests and responsive
reading. The JWB Songster is
used and has proved very helpful,
as has the rabbi's small Jewish li-
brary which he established with
books provided by the JWB.
The rabbi asserted that one of
the best therapeutic methods is
personal letter writing. He sees to
it that a special letter goes out
to the patients' families assuring
them that the patient is getting
along all right.
Among other forms of spiritual
therapy which one rabbi found
effective are the conducting of

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These are some of the ways in
which the rabbis in the postwar
era are ministering to the spirit-
ual, personal and morale needs of
Jewish patients in veterans' hos-

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uted at a hospital, they are given
to the men on a non-sectarian ba-
sis.
As a result of their experiences,
the rabbis found it a good idea to
notify the local rabbi and the
executive director of the local
Community Center of the veteran's
return home. The local people
could, in that way, help the re-
turnee maintain his interest in
various aspects of Jewish life and
culture by encouraging him to af.
filiate with community centers
and YMHAS or synagogues and
temples.

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