Kehillah Project News
The CPSJ is in the midst of a very exciting and busy time. As we continue to support our ongoing commitments (please see the overview of our projects), we have capitalized on extensive lay leadership and strong partnerships with CJP and existing and new community partners to pursue many new initiatives.
Community Mission, April 2010
This past April CJP and JCRC ran a hugely successful community to Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. With 26 participants, including 7 YLD members, the trip truly touched everyone. All of the participants came back infused with energy and passion for working with our partners in Ukraine.
Community Outreach and Collaboration with B’nai Telem
Consistent with CJP’s commitment to volunteerism, the CPSJ and JCRC staff have brought the 10-minute clip of our movie, Kehillah, and a service project (making blankets or healing shawls) to 4 groups this fall. These included a knitting circle at Temple Aliyah in Needham and B’nai Telem groups at three Boston-area synagogues. In addition to introducing them to our work in Dnepropetrovsk, these events also provided participants with an opportunity to contribute something tangible to that effort. The healing shawls and blankets will go to poor elderly served by Action for Post-Soviet Jewry.
English Immersion Camp at the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish Day School
The CPSJ’s English Language Subcommittee successfully piloted a three-week intensive English immersion camp for Jewish children at the day school in Dnepropetrovsk this past June. Over 60 students participated in the camp and JCRC recruited six college students (juniors and seniors) with Jewish camping experience to serve as counselors for the camp. In addition, Anlee Schaye and Denise Zandman, 2 Boston area master teachers of English as a second language served as mentors to the Dnepropetrovsk English faculty, who provided formal instruction during the camp. Counselors planned arts and sports activities and interacted with the children solely in English. Counselors lived with with local families and visited all of the DKP projects while they were there.
Medical Exchanges in Ultrasonography and Mammography
The Medical Services Subcommittee of the CPSJ has arranged for the purchase of new, highly advanced ultrasound machines for the Pediatric Clinic and the Corky Ribakoff Women’s Clinic and for the donation and transport of a mammography machine for the Women’s Clinic. These machines increase access and improve the quality of care for the entire city of Dnepropetrovsk, but our Ukrainian partners, both doctors and technicians, require additional training to take full advantage of the technology. The committee is currently working to identify radiologists in Boston who will travel to Dnepropetrovsk in October for on-site training and consulting and whose institutions could accept Ukrainian professionals for relevant training in Boston.
New Medical Initiative in Dnepropetrovsk
Rabbi
New Mental Health Initiative
JCHE and JF&CS have joined together to start a new initiative to help in working with patients living with dementia at Beit Baruch. Mental health is a priority as Beit Baruch residents are aging and experiencing an increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia as well as an increase in mortality. Needs of residents have changed due to age related illness, chronic disease, and the burn out of the staff. Marsha Frankel, a social worker from JF&CS, will work with our partners to determine the best ways to help both the staff and the residents. Marsha will observe and gather information about current approaches to people living with dementia both at Beit Baruch and in the community, as appropriate, offer alternative strategies and support to staff. This will continue throughout the year with videoconference and two trips to Ukraine.
Post Graduate Medical Course
JCRC and the Medical Services committee will run a 3 day Medical Conference for physicians in May 2010 at the Medical Academy in Dnepropetrovsk. The conference will focus on 3 disciplines: OB/GYN, Pediatrics, and Geriatrics. Boston doctors from each discipline will present at the course in addition to doctors from Ukraine.
Transition of Havayah to Hebrew College
This past Februay, Havayah made its first trip under the auspices of Hebrew College. This unique winter camp program builds Jewish connections among teens from Boston, Haifa, and Dnepropetrovsk and is regularly cited by participants as a transformational experience. Rabbi Seth Braunstein, the new director, reinvigorated the program by shortening the itinerary and bringing the teens from all three cities together in Kiev for team-building and training. With its focus on teens, volunteerism, and connections to Israel, Havayah matches several of CJP’s strategic priorities.
Zelig Brez Visits Boston
The COO of the Jewish Community in Dnepropetrovsk visited Boston this past summer. After completing a week long course at Harvard Business School’s Executive Education he had productive meetings with many of our partners. His visit further energized all of our partners here and allowed us to plan for this coming year. We will be working with the Dnepropetrovsk community to develop a women’s leadership group and a young leadership group in Dnepropetrovsk.
