Kashouvot - the Center for Spiritual Care in Israel, is a pioneer in providing professional Chaplaincy (or Spiritual Care) in medical and elder care settings since 2010. Our vision is to incorporate Spiritual Care as an essential part of the medical system in Israel as it is in the United States and other western countries. Our activities are focused in three main areas: providing direct spiritual support for patients, their families and staff, training professional spiritual caregivers and strengthening healthcare professionals.
Israel is an acknowledged pioneer in fields of healthcare, high-tech, agriculture and many areas of culture and science. However in the healthcare system, its pragmatic approach has often neglected the need for supportive, whole-person care. Therefore, Spiritual Caregivers (or Chaplains) are not part of the staff of hospitals and other healthcare facilities, as they are in most western countries. The result is unnecessary stress to patients, families and medical staff alike and missed opportunities for healing, growth, family reconciliation and the emotional journeys that accompany aging, illness or end of life.
Kashouvot provides professional Spiritual Care in medical and geriatric settings. Our chaplains and students are active in more than thirty hospitals and geriatric settings all around Israel. We bring Spiritual Care to patients, family members and healthcare staff in a wide range of departments like geriatry, internal medicine, oncology, hematology, rehabilitation, intensive care, neurology, gynecology, urology, dialysis and maternity. Kashouvot is mostly present in Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Poriya Northern Medical Center in Tiberias, Beit Rivkah Geriatric Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center and the French Hospital in Jerusalem and more. Ichilov Medical Center is one of Israel’s three largest and most respected hospitals and represents a new stage of acceptance and recognition for the value of Spiritual Care for patients and for Kashouvot as the address for quality care service and training,
We continue to expand our training programs. In 2020 we merged with the Schwartz Center for Health and Spirituality and are now the largest spiritual care training program in Israel with five annual cohorts of Spiritual Care students from all over the country. Our program received accreditation and is well-known for its high educational standards. Our alumni constitute 55% (95 chaplains) of the total number of chaplains who graduate from all Israeli programs and are certified by the Association for Spiritual Care in Israel. Many of our graduates work partially in nursing homes, hospitals and provide bereavement support to individuals and groups after traumatic loss due to suicide, car accidents, murder and terrorism.
Our courses provide beneficial tools from the world of Spiritual Care and enrich the skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals: nurses, physicians, social workers and more. We witness the meaningful effect of spreading knowledge among professionals in order to improve the care given to patients and elderly and avoid burnout and compassion fatigue.
Since its establishment, Kashouvot has succeeded in achieving a meaningful part of our vision: to be a pioneer and leader in the development and integration of Spiritual Care in Israel. Every day, our staff of chaplains and our students are reminded how much power the human spirit has for growth and healing during times of adversity. We welcome your partnership with our deep gratitude.