Archives: מאמרים

Practical Guidelines for Hosting and Integrating a Person with Dementia or Complex Disease into the Chanukkah Celebrations

The holiday of Channukah involves getting together of the entire family, “a candle for a man and his household”. However, for a person sick with complex disease or a person with dementia, this is a deviation from their normal daily schedule, which can be disorienting and disturbing. With the proper conduct, this day can be a deep source of connection with the family and past memories for these people. This essay offers practical guidelines for dealing with this situation and assists in building a supportive, inclusive environment for a person with dementia.

To Redeem from Loneliness

בודד

How do we overcome loneliness? What is the biggest dilemma plaguing the Rabbinic world as Pesach approaches? And how can one get the most out of the Seder night during the COVID-19 pandemic? First published in Yediot Achronot.

On Life and Death

צולל

Why does the Torah deal with secretions of a person’s body? What is the Torah’s approach towards death? And what is the meaning behind the halachot of purity and impurity?

Preparing for the Final Departure

We tend to push away death and avoid discussing it; At times due to fear, other times the heart is not free to deal with these issues and at times we are worried about the “Evil Eye”. From Yaakov Avinu we can learn quite the opposite.

Is There a Halachic Obligation to Fight for a Patient’s Life? What of Actively Ending a Patient’s Life?

קו דופק

Advanced modern medicine brings with it the great blessing of improved quality of life and prolonged life expectancy. However, many moral dilemmas have arisen based on the scientific ability to implement medical knowledge acquired throughout the years. In this essay, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow analyzes the Jewish position towards the possibility to extend life, and even more divisive, towards shortening life.