Community
In a time of need or celebration, The Jewish Chaplaincy creates and strengthens community.
We Build Relationships
The Jewish Chaplaincy builds relationships and strengthens community within both Stanford University Medical Center and the larger Jewish community. These relationships – with patients and their families, medical staff, volunteers, community organizations and synagogues – create connections that can be of help while you are in the hospital and when you return home. Here are just a few of the ways in which we build community:
- For families who are far from home – for a few days or an extended period of time – connection to the local Jewish community often offers comfort and assistance. The Jewish Chaplaincy can help find short-term housing, kosher food, local services and, perhaps above all, caring individuals who can help provide support in often difficult times.
- Most patients and their families are not members of a synagogue or involved in the Jewish community. The Jewish Chaplaincy often provides the first exposure to this community and can help facilitate further connections if desired.
- The Jewish Chaplaincy helps connect patients to local Jewish organizations that provide needed services, including Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Hebrew Free Loan, the PJ Library, local synagogues, schools, JCCs and many others.
- The Jewish Chaplaincy works with two area schools – Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School and Wornick Jewish Day School. Students make gift bags that are distributed at Purim and Passover to patients and staff and they participate in the “Sounding the Shofar” event. We also teach students about the mitzvah of bikur cholim (visiting the sick), and avodah l’olam (working for the world).
- Our chaplains work with local clergy and the community to coordinate care and to help others understand the importance of visiting the sick.
- The Jewish Chaplaincy hosts community holiday celebrations in the Stanford Hospital Atrium at Rosh Hashanah and Hanukah. More Information »
- We participate in local events such as the “To Life! Festival,” sponsored by the Oshman Family JCC and the “Feast of Jewish Learning,” sponsored by local Jewish organizations and the Bureau of Jewish Education.