Klainberg says, speaking-with her in both
Yiddish and English, "the Jewish commu-
nity has a special responsibility to you."
She qualifies, he says, for help meet-
ing her emotional, spiritual and everyday
needs under the palliative care program.
This is probably where social worker
Haddad, who works both for JFS and
Jewish Hospice in a program known as
Lifelinks, will enter the picture. "I have a
whole lot of different resources:' she says,
whether patients and/or families need
caregivers, medical interventions or help
in making decisions. "I try not to give any
advice. It's more 'What do you feel com-
fortable doing?'"
She does tell them, "Whatever you do,
wherever you go, we will follow you. We
will try and advocate for you."
"It's not just about a friendly rabbi being
there and saying a prayer," Freedman says.
"We know the vast array of services in the
Jewish community."
West Bloomfield-based Temple Israel
Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny began working
with Jewish Hospice eight years ago as an
intern when she was still a rabbinical stu-
dent. "I wanted to learn from Bunny:' she
says."I've been there ever since. He has
created an organization absolutely vital to
this community."
Being a woman and a Reform rabbi
allows her to help a particular segment
of the Jewish population, she says. "There
are plenty of women who, for one reason
or another, aren't connected to Judaism
or don't have a relationship with a rabbi.
They see me as a very non-threatening
entree into Judaism!'

Metro Detroit's Jewish hospice and pallia-
tive care program appears to be unique.
"I call Rabbi Bunny or Nathan when I
have a Jewish patient," says Dr. Kathleen
Murphy, a geriatric specialist who is medi-
cal director of the Detroit-based Hospices
of Henry Ford Health Systems nursing
home team and a palliative care consultant
at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.
"I make the call myself,' Murphy says.
"It is too important to delegate to another

"Whether you are old or young, every-

one needs to be touched," says hos-

pice patient care coordinator Nathan

Shiovitz, who comforts Sheila McGlung,

JHCN Executive Director Rabbi Bunny Freedman, standing, along with

Rabbi Hershel Klainberg is often the go-

Rabbis Jennifer Kaluzny, Hershel Klainberg, Avie Shapiro, Irving Schnipper

to chaplain when it comes to comforting

and David Nelson (not pictured), ensure that all Jews in need can have a

Holocaust survivors like palliative care patient

bedside chaplain.

Hela Jutkiewicz, 90, of Oak Park.

clerk or hospital staff member. Many
patients say they are not religious, not
observant, not interested or 'just fine! But
when I tell them that it is more about sup-
port, validation, kindness and simple alle-
giances, they usually welcome the referral.
"I am not Jewish;' Murphy says. "Yes,
there are other robust and rich religious
and cultural communities in this area.
I know of not one, though, that has this
kind of outreach and service. It is immedi-
ately personal."
David Nussbaum isn't sure if Metro
Detroit really knows and appreciates what

JHCN Services
To Individuals
And Families

it has in the JHCN program he aspires to
emulate in New York City. He heads the
nonprofit Metro Jewish Health System
there that administers to 1,700 hospice
and 2,000 palliative care patients annually
"We can't hope to offer the depth of sup-
port that I've seen Bunny's team provide,'
says Nussbaum, who once headed Jewish
Federation of Flint. "What he's done with
his team has shown us what is possible.
The unusual thing about it is that it's reli-
giously, spiritually and ethnically based
instead of service-based.
"Detroit has a definable Jewish commu-

nity that is one of the best organized and
executed in the country:' Nussbaum says.
When you combine that with "Bunny's
rainmaker abilities to create relationships
with a variety of institutions, you have an
amazing resource."

For more information on the Jewish
Hospice & Chaplaincy Network, call (248)
592-2687 or visit wwwjewishhospice.org.

Jewish Hospice &
Chaplaincy Network

What: JHCN is a nonprofit network, not a clinically based hospice,

• Pastoral care
• Quick access to the diverse
resources in the Jewish commu-
nity
• Hospice referral and information
• Social work and case manage-
ment
• Patient and family advocacy
• Jewish volunteers, trained in
end-of-life care, to provide family
support, warmth and friendship
• Access to practical services such
as transportation, care aides,
help with child care, money
management, respite care and
foreign translation
• Crisis intervention
• Guidance with medical and ethi-
cal decisions
• Spiritual support and guidance
with prayer and religious ritual
• Companionship

dedicated to ensuring "No Jew is Ever Alone" when facing terminal
illness or needing end-of-life care.

Why: It was created to provide the Jewish component of care for
Jewish patients and families in need of help in confronting terminal
illness or end-of-life care.

Where: It works closely with all hospices and other healthcare part-

ners wherever the patient is — at home, hospital, assisted living facili-
ties, nursing homes and inpatient hospice units.

Who: Anyone facing serious or terminal illness that, regardless of
the level of affiliation or observance, identifies as a Jew is eligible
for services at no charge. This includes individuals who, although not
Jewish, are members of Jewish families.

How: Philanthropic grants, voluntary contributions from the Jewish
and general community, and payments by hospitals for pastoral ser-
vices are JHCN's primary sources of income. It operates on an esti-
mated annual $850,000 budget and does not receive government or
insurance reimbursement.

who has since died.

AF.)Fil 2 2009

A13

