Chayim Aruchim (The Center for Culturally Sensitive Health Advocacy and Counseling), an Agudath Israel project, hosted its annual meeting at Skolye Hall in Brooklyn. The agenda noted several of the organization’s successes this year, such as the tremendous impact of the Chayim Aruchim 24-hour hotline (718-301-9800). The hotline, which went live in April 2014, is staffed by seven young rabbis who have been trained in many aspects of medicine and Halacha and taught how to help seriously ill patients and their families deal with these issues.

Other topics covered included important legislative changes advocated by Chayim Aruchim and the newly-implemented brain-death protocols for Jewish patients at key New York hospitals. The Chayim Aruchim Board stressed the importance of the need to continue educating the community on the many issues of Jewish law that are involved when treating seriously ill patients.

The Board also identified new initiatives for the organization, such as advising patients and their families upon being discharged from the hospital, scheduling periodic conferences for rabbis on vital issues, and the need to launch Chayim Aruchim International and provide services not only in the United States, but also in England, Israel and Canada.

(YWN Desk – NYC)