For Congregational Leaders

Throughout history, when people’s lives have been threatened — dissolving any pretense of invincibility — they have turned to their community, and often their community’s faith leaders, for support. For Jews, synagogues remain places of comfort, safe and supportive environments for discussing how our spiritual tradition can offer guidance to those facing life’s most trying times. Our houses of worship and study are uniquely suited for conversations concerning matters of mortality.

In our contemporary, predominantly secular world, there are advantages to addressing the topic of advanced care planning within a religious or spiritual context. From a cultural perspective, doing so liberates illness, caregiving, dying and grieving from the exclusive confines of medical experts. More tangibly, these conversations can provide suggestions in using the latest technologies and treatments in a way that is consistent with our faith’s tenets and teachings. Coming together to support one another in exploring and planning for the most challenging issues of human life can enhance a sense of meaning and purpose.

While advance care planning may be a good place to begin the conversation, this work is really about supporting people through illness, caregiving, dying and grieving. Those of us who are drawn together by common beliefs, prayers and practices can ensure that as age or infirmity takes its inevitable toll, members of our community are not forgotten. We can accompany friends and family members on a journey that they have not chosen. We can guarantee they are not abandoned. We can bear witness to their suffering, as well as their continued dignity and worth. We can celebrate their accomplishments and honor their contributions. This is what is meant by the Talmudic dictum, “Kol Yisrael aravim zeh bazeh - All Israel is responsible for one another.” (Babylonian Talmud Shavuot 39a) We can support one another not only in living fully but also in dying well. (Adapted from How We Can Make the End of Life Personal Again by Ira Byock, M.D.)

The Conversation Project website offers a robust Resource Center that has specialized resources for faith communities, including sermons, planning tools and instructions for participating in an annual event called Conversation Sabbath.

Mishkan Miami chaplains are available to partner with you on any program. Call us at 786.866.8486 for more information.