Friday, March 2M 986 / Tha Jewish Floridi of Palm Beach County Page 3
Milton Kurland Defines
Mitzvah Therapy' for Chaplain
Meeting
The meeting room at Jewish
I Federation of Palm Beach
County was filled to over-
flowing as Milton Kurland,
MSW, presented an interesting
concept of Chaplain Aide
.work, "Mitzvah Therapy," at
the third seminar meeting of
the Jewish Federation
Chaplain Aide- Program.
Confessing that he picked up
the term "Mitzvah Therapy"
at a lecture by Sol Gordon,
Kurland described the benefits
derived by Chaplain Aides as
I they perform their good deeds
I at homes for the elderly and at
I hospitals.
Quoting from Pirke Abot,
[wisdom of the Fathers, the
[Daily Prayer Book and the
Torah, Kurland established
[the obligation of performing
I mitzvot even when we are not
I in a loving mood. "We learn
I to love those whom we help,"
Jhe said. He made the analogy
[between the palindromic
[Hebrew word "Natan" to
[give, which is the same read
[forward or backward, to make
[ihc point that when you give
[you also receive in the same
[measure.
After defining the shades of
mitzvot commandment,
good deed, act of charity 
and giving the Greek origin of
therapy which relates to
philanthropy love of
mankind, Kurland listed the
specifics of Mitzvah Therapy.
He asked that the Chaplain
Aides analyze their feelings as
they wheel residents around a
nursing home. He suggested
that:
1- "You will experience
feelings of ego satisfaction
. .feel needed."
2- "By showing the Jewish
nursing home residents that
they are not forgotten that
the Jewish community cares,
the Aide is giving them
'Kavod,' honor and respect 
the 'Kavod* is returned to the
Chaplain Aide in the same
measure."
3- "By performing the
"Mitzvah," the Aide is
contributing to the Divine
Plan of Creation."
4- "When the 'Mitzvah' is
performed, the Aide is setting
an example for his children,
grandchildren, and all
mankind that will lead to a
better world."
5- "We listen to the Rabbis
who say that by performing
Mitzvot we can gather the fruit
in this world and still have the
principal remain in the world
to come."
Kurland, who has spent 47
vears in social work, was
inspired by gemulet chesed
(performing kind deeds)
displayed by his grandmother
who.^pn Friday mornings, on
110th Street in New York City,
distributed Shabbat candles
and Challah to the poor. His
father's work for the Hebrew
Free Loan Society in which
young Milton was occasionally
called upon to help, was also
an inspiration. Kurland has
worked as a clinician and
instructor, having taught at
Columbia University, City
University of New York,
Hunter College, Lehman
College and Adelphi
University. He was also senior
case supervisor for New York
City Department of Social
Services and Director of Social
Services at Four Winds
Hospital in Katona, New
York. He is now adjunct
instructor in Continuing
Education at Palm Beach
Junior College and has his
own private practice. Kurland
holds degrees in social work,
education and gerontology.
Milton and his wife Ruth
are members of the Chaplain
Aide Program. They conduct
Sabbath services at Waterford
Nursing Home and Jupiter
Convalescent Center. They are
members of Temple Beth
David, located in North Palm
Beach where they reside.
Milton serves on the ritual
committee, teaches adult
education classes and is part
time Bal Koreh, reader of the
Torah. The Kurlands also live
in Somers, New York, where
they are active in temple af-
fairs.
Persons interested in joining
the Chaplain Aide Program
for 'friendly visiting' at
nursing homes, retirement
centers and hospitals or to
Milton Kurland
assist at worship services, may
call the office of the Jewish
Federation Chaplain, Rabbi
Alan R. Sherman, 655-7706.
Program For Interfaith
Couples Offered
nth American and Israeli Jewish lead
Join To Re-Open CJF Office In Israel
JERUSALEM 
Prominent North American
|and Israeli leaders were in
attendance as the Council of
[Jewish Federations recently re-
opened its Israel office.
CJF President Shoshana S.
tardin of Baltimore hosted
phe ceremonies which re-
established the CJF office
breviously operative from
11968-72.
"Re-opening of the CJF
office in Israel will enhance
[he relationship between
North American Jewish
Federations and Israel and will
plfill specific program
/unctions for CJF member
federations," Mrs. Cardin
Remarked.
The goal of the office is to
keep key Israelis more in-
iormed and aware of the
agenda, services, programs
and issues of the North
American Jewish Federation
movement, thus improving the
effectiveness of dialogue and
cooperation between the two
communities, she added.
Four former presdients of
the CJF also participated in
the official dedication of the
office Max M. Fisher of
Detroit, Jerold C. Hoffberger
of Baltimore, Morton L.
Mandel of Cleveland and
Raymond Epstein of Chicago.
Martin S. Kraar, former
executive vice president of the
St. Louis Federation, is
serving as director of the CJF
Israel office located at 11
Pinsker Street in Jerusalem.
The Council of Jewish
Federations is the association
of 200 Federations, Welfare
Funds and Community
Councils which serve nearly
800 communities embracing a
Jewish population of more
than 5.7 million in the U.S.
and Canada.
Established in 1932, the
Council serves as a national
instrument to strengthen the
work and the impact of Jewish
Federations through
leadership in developing
programs to meet changing
needs in the Jewish com-
munity; the exchange of
successful experiences to
assure the most effective
community service;
establishing guidelines for
fund raising and operation,
and through joint national
planning and action on
common purposes dealing
with local, regional and in-
ternational needs.
The Southeast Council of
the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations
(Reform) is again sponsoring
an eight-week program
designed for unaffiliated
inter tail h couples, meaning
one who is Jewish and one
who is not. The seminar is
being offered at Temple Sinai
in Delray Beach Thursday
evenings, April 25 through
June 13 from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
The cost is $50 per couple and
advance registration is
required. The program deals
with such issues as tensions
within the extended family,
holiday celebrations, and
raising the child when the
parents are of different
religious backgrounds. The
group is designed to provide a
supportive atmosphere and
enable the participants to
share with others in Tike
circumstances issues
surrounding the blending of
their two lives and encourage
dialogue between partners
concerning issues of Jewish
life in an attempt to clarify
their lives together.
Anyone desiring more
information about this in-
terfaith couples seminar can
contact Linda Spitzer,
Outreach Coordinator, UAH-
C Office in Miami. The
mailing address for ap-
plications is 3785 NW 82 Ave.
Suite 210, Miami, Fla. 33166.
2nd-Staqe Withdrawal Speeds Up
THE JOSEPH L. MORSE GERIATRIC CENTER
of the Jewish Home for the Aged of Palm Beach County
TEL AVIV (JTA) 
The second stage of the Israel
Defense Force's withdrawal
from south Lebanon has been
speeded up as four more
attacks were reported on IDF
units late last week. There
were no casualties.
MILITARY SOURCES
said non-operational
equipment is being moved
back from the eastern sector
of the front, facing Syrian
forces, at an accelerated pace.
Convoys of heavy trucks are
moving in seemingly endless
procession along me roads,
hauling prefabricated
buildings, barbed wire and
other non-combat material
back to Israel.
A military spokesman
said a rocket-propelled
grenade and automatic fire
was aimed at an Israel tank
near Adweis village, and an
army post near Nabatiyacame
under automatic fire. A
Katyusha rocket was fired at
an IDF unit near Shabricha
village, and an IDF position
near Bidyas was attacked with
RPGs.
GIFT SHOP
Passover Gifts
Jewish Artifacts
Greeting Cards
Childrens Toys and Games
The Gift Shop is open
Monday through Friday: 9:30 A.M. 4:00 P.M.
Your purchase supports the Center and its programs.^
MORSE GERIATRIC CENTER
4S47 Fred Gladstone Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(The Center is located off of Haverhill Road. 1 mile sooth of 45th Street)
TAKE THE LEAD
1985 YOUNG LEADERSHIP RETREAT
UJA YOUNG LEADERSHIP CABINET
UJA YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CABINET
CJF NA TIONAL LEADERSHIP
DE VELOPMENT COMMITTEE
1985
MAY
NMT anat KMDAV
X X X
FLORIDA REGION
Mark your calendars for these dates
Details will follow!!
Bring the kids!! All welcome!!
Grenelefe Resort
Near Orlando, FL