Jun 4, 2015
Mishkan Miami Offers Spirituality and Solace in Difficult Times
God is our hope and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. - Psalm 46
Individuals frequently find themselves in turmoil when confronting illness, death, divorce or other significant personal tragedies. Mishkan Miami: The Jewish Connection for Spiritual Support, a program of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, provides a variety of resources, including compassionate counsel and companionship, to members of our Jewish community to build hope and resilience in the face of despair. Mishkan Miami chaplains and volunteers provide the supportive ear and hand in times in life where ones sense of self may be in flux.
Originally founded by the Federation as the Jewish Chaplaincy Program, Mishkan Miami has brought comfort to thousands of grieving and distressed individuals over the past fifty years. Board certified chaplains and trained volunteers visit people in their homes, hospitals, nursing homes and other locations to offer a sense of connectedness and continuity within the larger Jewish community and the Jewish faith. The program is currently consulting with local synagogues, to empower them to build their own spiritual care resources.
The program’s new name is derived from the biblical Mishkan, the portable sanctuary that traveled with the Children of Israel during their years of wandering in the wilderness following the Exodus from Egypt. Just as the ancient Mishkan provided a direct link with God, Mishkan Miami is resolved to create a strong connection with Jewish sacred resources during times of emotional upheaval. Mishkan is also a tent, where people come together and share with one another. Too many Jews experience the debilitating feeling of loneliness; Mishkan Miami is one way our Federation addresses this very human and existential need.
“In times of crisis or transition, people look to tradition and spiritual structure for comfort,” said Mishkan Miami Director Rabbi Frederick L. Klein. “We go to meet with them in their space. We listen, we discuss and we uplift.”
In addition to providing reflective books, pamphlets and brochures about Jewish bereavement, rituals and traditions, the program also offers symposiums for clergy, medical professionals and families that analyze issues related to aging, dying and personal balance in times of sorrow.
Rabbi Klein emphasized that Mishkan Miami is a joint effort between local clergy, Federation and agency leadership and the lay leaderhsip, and credited its chair, Joy Spill, and Immediate Past Chair Regina Zelonker with empowering the program to serve the growing, evolving Miami Jewish community.
“Connection, care and compassion are the three primary values of Mishkan Miami,” said Spill. “We seek to eliminate isolation, by making those in distress feel like an essential part of the community and helping them find God in our relationships with one another.”
One of Mishkan Miami’s major annual programs is its Ministering to the Elderly Conference, where physicians, clergy, physicians, social workers and other specialists gather to discuss issues related to aging, terminal illness, family relations and grief. This year more than 120 professionals trained with one of the leading psychotherapists to help them bolster resilience among aging populations.
Mishkan Miami also trains members of the community to serve as chaplains through its Refuat HaNefesh (healing of the body) program. After receiving months of instruction in theology, medical ethics and interpersonal dynamics, trained volunteers visit local hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other facilities throughout Greater Miami to bring comfort to those who are ill and their families. So far, 160 volunteers have graduated from the Refuat HaNefesh program.
For more information about Mishkan Miami, or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or if you or a loved one needs support, contact Rabbi Frederick Klein at 305.576.4000, ext. 620, or [email protected].
