The Jewish Hospice of Greater New York Accredited by National Institute for Jewish Hospice.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The Jewish Hospice of Greater New York, a participating program of Metropolitan Jewish Health System (MJHS), has received accreditation from the National Institute for Jewish Hospice. The accreditation is a reflection of the high standards of religious sensitivity already in practice at the Jewish Hospice.

Shmuel Lefkowitz, Chairman of the Board of MJHS, called the accreditation "a natural for a health system that has been a trailblazer in serving the religious needs of the community." Eli S. Feldman, President and CEO of MJHS, said: "We are gratified that such a prestigious national accreditation board has recognized our pioneering efforts to integrate religious sensitivity into a very complex medical and patient care setting."

The accreditation recognizes that the Jewish Hospice meets all its requirements, including training its health care professionals and volunteers about the unique needs of patients and their families who use the home-based Hospice for terminally-ill patients. It also confirms that the Hospice works with halachic authorities and the rabbi of the family in coordinating care issues and dealing with complex issues of Jewish law. All of these requirements have long been standard practice for the Jewish Hospice.

The National Institute for Jewish Hospice is headed by Rabbi Maurice Lamm, a noted scholar and authority on Hospice related issues in Jewish law. His latest book published last year, The Spiritual Journey Beyond Grief, has won accolades from rabbinic and professional health care leaders. In the Chevra Kadisha world, his book The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning is practically mandatory reading. He is also Chair in Professional Rabbinics at Yeshiva University.

In addition to Dr. Lamm, the National Institute consists of a prestigious board of rabbis, physicians and other notable community leaders. The accreditation of the Jewish Hospice is "of great importance to a Jewish institution that serves one of the largest communities of Holocaust survivors and other religious Jews outside of Israel," Mr. Lefkowitz added.

In addition to offering a full team of medical professionals, the Hospice is staffed by a full-time rabbi who is involved in every aspect of care for patients who rely on Jewish law, custom and tradition in dealing with their terminal illness. The care team integrates family members in this unique partnership to make the patient as comfortable as possible. In addition to its home based program, the Jewish Hospice also has an in-patient unit for short-term acute care. All programs are glatt kosher and fully observe Shabbats and all Yomim Tovim.

The Jewish Hospice is a participating program of Metropolitan Jewish Health System (MJHS), a leader in the field of integrated health care. Its participating agencies and programs include home care, adult day health care, skilled nursing facilities, HomeFirst and Elderplan. MJHS services nearly 20,000 individuals and their families in the New York-metropolitan area.