National Institute for Jewish Hospice Certifies Five VITAS Programs

Finding the hope at the end of life is part of the Jewish approach to hospice, a lesson learned when the National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH) came to Miami to certify five VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® programs in Florida as Jewish hospices.

“Hope transcends all religions and cultures,” acknowledges Edith Beroldi, a patient care administrator with VITAS’ Broward County program, which is re-certified annually. Beroldi has experienced a variety of end-of-life customs in her 13 years with VITAS, including those of a patient from Tibet and a Miccosukee Indian. “I’ve made a few faux pas,” she admits. “My patients teach me all the time. And we have a lot of Jewish patients, so it’s good to get a formal presentation of Jewish cultural traditions.” It is something Dr. Jeffrey Behrens, medical director for VITAS in Palm Beach County, has been doing informally for years. With the help of Rabbi Barry Kinzbrunner, MD, FACP, he developed a presentation on end-of-life needs in the Jewish culture. “It goes over very well with our partners in nursing homes and assisted living communities,” says General Manager Susan Acocella. “Being certified more formally was a natural progression for the Palm Beach program.”

The National Institute for Jewish Hospice certified five VITAS programs as Jewish hospices. Chaplains from those programs are, from left, standing, Tom McRee, Central Florida; Rabbi Benzion Levin, Miami-Dade; Brad Lutz, Broward; Rabbi Leon Olenick, Broward; Rev. Carol Moran, Brevard; Father Vince Treglio, Miami-Dade; Karen Modell, West Palm Beach; Rabbi Dr. Barry Kinzbrunner, senior vice president and chief medical officer, VITAS; and Rabbi David Lamm. Seated are Shirley Lamm and Rabbi Maurice Lamm of the NIJH.

“VITAS has a long history of serving this ever-changing market, including its diverse Jewish community,” says Father Vince Treglio, bereavement services manager in Miami-Dade. “But there are certain misgivings about hospice in the Jewish culture. The NIJH taught us the particulars of the Jewish way of death.”

“We have to be culturally aware in South Florida,” Rabbi Leon Olenick of VITAS’ Broward program agrees, “so we can put our arms around our patients and families in a better way. Our education is ongoing; even after certification, the NIJH sends updates and reminders by e-mail. And we chaplains share our knowledge—Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish—at in-services. It’s who we are, as chaplains and as VITAS.”