Eight local rabbis learn, grow and bond through
Michigan's pilot pastoral care program.

and loss," says Rabbi Kestenbaum, who directs the
Department of Pastoral Care and Education at Beth
Editorial Assistant
Israel Medical Center in Manhattan.
His program in Detroit includes 400 hours of
he rabbi hopes he's not too late. He wants
training and education for one unit of CPE credit.
to see Sonia Firestone, 94, at least one
Certification takes four CPE credits.
more time.
No other community in the country has created a
Dodging through traffic, Rabbi Avie
special
program for its rabbis, says Rabbi
hapiro finally arrives at the Hospice Home of
Kestenbaum, who credits Orthodox Rabbi E.B.
armington Hills.
"Bunny" Freedman and Reform Rabbi Dannel
He is greeted warmly by the patient's daughter,
Schwartz with initiating this program. Because of the
ickey Gold of West Bloomfield, and Lottie Halperin,
program's success, rabbis in Philadelphia and
irestone's sister, who is holding the patient's hand.
Chicago are considering a similar program, as is the
"She's not doing well," says Gold to the rabbi
North American Board of Rabbis.
hrough her tears. She nods toward her mother,
"It's a mitzvah to assist people," adds Rabbi David
whose eyes are closed, her breathing labored.
Nelson
of Conservative Congregation Beth Shalom,
The rabbi listens to Gold's concerns; he asks a few
who serves as a chaplain for William Beaumont
uestions.
Hospital and for several police departments. "But this
After a short, but warm conversation, he sits next
program taught me a whole new way of doing it."
o the patient's bed. He opens his prayer book and
Rabbi Kestenbaum's students are not a new wave
egins to pray aloud.
of young rabbis, but seasoned clergy, long out of rab-
A calm permeates the room as it fills with his
binical school, learning a subject only recently intro-
ingsong cadence. The daughter cries softly as her
duced in a few rabbinical colleges.
unt bobs her head slowly up and down, watching
Along with Rabbis Shapiro and Nelson, the group
her . sister for some sign.
includes Rabbis Freedman of Jewish Hospice and
Amazingly, as Rabbi Shapiro reads the Shema,
Chaplaincy Network (JHCN); Hershel Klainberg,
Firestone opens her eyes and gazes toward the rabbi.
chaplain at Menorah House in Southfield, Elan
It's almost as if she has been waiting for him or the
Village in Southfield and Danto Health Care Center
rayer. Her breathing eases. The rabbi continues,
in West Bloomfield; Jim Michaels of Congregation
nd eventually Firestone closes her eyes; a peaceful
Beth Israel in Flint; David Polter, community chap-
look covers her face.
lain, Jewish Home and Aging Services; Yerachmiel
Within minutes, Sonia Firestone takes her last breath.
Rabin, chaplain at Danto, Heartland Hospice and
JHCN; and Dannel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom
uilding On Compassion
who is also a chaplain at Beaumont Hospital.
Rabbi Freedman credits the support of the Jewish
hough Rabbi Shapiro, who is Orthodox, under-
Fund, created from the $65 million proceeds of the
tands issues of death and dying from his job as
1997 sale of Sinai Hospital of Detroit to the Detroit
haplain for Jewish Home and Aging Services,
Medical Center, for supporting the program. Each
Fleischman Residence-Blumberg Plaza and
rabbi's $500 tuition is paid by the
Hechtman Apartments, he knows
Jewish Fund, which also provides a
that recently he has been handling
stipend for rabbinic students who
eathbed visits more professionally
study CPE at Beaumont Hospital as
nd with more compassion.
summer interns.
Since September, he has joined
But why would full-time rabbis
even other local rabbis from three
commit to intensive classes for some-
treams of Judaism in a pilot program
thing most have been practicing for a
n clinical pastoral education (CPE).
decade or two?
Rabbi Israel Kestenbaum, the first
Unanimously, they agree, there's a
Orthodox rabbi in the country to
need for professional development in
ttain CPE certification, leads the
clinical pastoral education. In addi-
lass. He comes to town two days a
tion, each rabbi extols the camaraderie
month to work with the rabbis as a
and support that's developed in this
roup and individually. The course
14W
group that crosses all streams of
nds this August.
CPE teacher R abbi Israel
Judaism. They say they are in daily
"Pastoral care tends to the spiritual
Kestenbaum p rods rabbis to
contact with each other through a pri-
issues that effect a person and their
hear their patie nts' deeper
vate Web site that allows them to dis-
family during times of illness, crisis
uestions and s iritual issues

H ARON LUCKERMAN

Rabbi Avie Shapiro
helps Fleischman
resident Allen Kraft- of
West Bloomfield don
tefillin before praying.

5/11
2001

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