First Jewish Perinatal Loss Summit
WATCH THE REPLAYS FROM THE SUMMIT BELOW
Responses to Perinatal Loss
Our Jewish rituals and teachings seem focused on death at the end of a long life. Yet we know many pregnancies end in miscarriage and perinatal death, and babies can die prematurely. In addition, children die at all ages for a variety of reasons.
The death of a child at any age is profoundly painful. Parents in these situations are left with a paucity of resources for dealing with very complex and challenging emotions. And our religious obligations seem confused, and there is a lack of rituals to deal with death and the unique type of grief.
This 3-part program brought together clergy, social workers, and parents who have grappled with these issues. The program's goal was to build a dialogue and to provide resources for struggling individuals and families.
Watch Replays from the Summit
Perinatal Loss Summit Program 1: Grappling with Loss - The Personal Stories
Perinatal Loss Summit Program 2: Time Does Not Heal All Wounds:The Wisdom of Grieving Perinatal Loss
Perinatal Loss Summit Program 3: The Spiritual and Emotional Challenges
Summit Organizers
Rabbi David Balto
Rabbi David Balto is a hospital chaplain, hospice, and bikur cholim volunteer. He is the Chair of the National Bikur Cholim Conference, an annual virtual conference. He frequently provides comfort for families dealing with perinatal loss. David and his wife Naomi are committed to acts of charity and loving kindness and are committed members of their Jewish community.
Aimee Baron MD
Aimee Baron MD, FAAP, is the founder and executive director of I Was Supposed to Have a Baby (IWSTHAB), which provides a warm and nurturing space for those going through infertility, pregnancy loss, infant loss, surrogacy, or adoption, in addition to connecting those families to resources in the Jewish community at large. IWSTHAB is a nonprofit organization that utilizes social platforms to support Jewish individuals and families struggling to have a child, offering a modern solution to an age-old problem.
Summit Sponsors
Supporting Organizations
Thanks to the generous financial support of David and Naomi Balto.
Grappling with Loss: The Personal Stories
Two parents will describe how they grappled with the challenges of premature death, dealt with religious obligations, and created a path for spiritual healing.
SPEAKER
Rabbi Ilan Glazer
Rabbi Ilan Glazer is the Co-Founder of the Our Love Continues Facebook group, a space for Jewish parents who have experienced miscarriage, end of a wanted pregnancy, stillbirth, or death of a child to find meaning, resources, and community. Ilan and his wife Sherri helped start the group in response to the stillbirth of their son Shemaryah Zichri in January 2022. Ilan is also the Founder and Director of Our Jewish Recovery, which exists to uplift the hearts and souls of everyone impacted by addiction in the Jewish community. Ilan is working on an album of original melodies Shemaryah helped bring to the world. Ilan and Sherri hope and pray that he is at peace, surrounded by his ancestors, and that his melodies will bring comfort and healing to all who need it.
SPEAKER
Cantor Hinda Labovitz
Cantor Hinda Eisen Labovitz is the co-spiritual leader of Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase, MD. She is the mother of four children, including Ronen (z"l) who died in infancy of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. In Ronen's memory, Cantor Labovitz did a year-long study of the entire Tanakh/Hebrew Bible, and continues to teach about grief and loss, in particular about how bereaved parents are represented (or aren't) in the Bible. Her reflections on study and ongoing living with grief are published at https://RonensTorah.net
COMMENTATOR
Aimee Baron MD, Founder & Executive Director, I Was Supposed To Have A Baby
Aimee Baron MD, FAAP, is the founder and executive director of I Was Supposed to Have a Baby (IWSTHAB), which provides a warm and nurturing space for those going through infertility, pregnancy loss, infant loss, surrogacy, or adoption, in addition to connecting those families to resources in the Jewish community at large. IWSTHAB is a nonprofit organization that utilizes social platforms to support Jewish individuals and families struggling to have a child, offering a modern solution (over 18,000 followers on Instagram and Tiktok) to an age-old problem.
Time Does Not Heal All Wounds: The Wisdom of Grieving Perinatal Loss
The experience of pregnancy loss as a disenfranchised or ambiguous loss can be confusing and isolating to grieving parents and family members. We will explore the language of compassion and connection surrounding the bereaved with support and a pathway forward through grief.
SPEAKER
Dvora Entin, LCSW, PMH-C
Dvora Entin, LCSW, PMH-C specializes in reproductive and perinatal mental health, is a clinical consultant for Yesh Tikva and Knafayim and a lead trainer for Postpartum Support International, recently launching a two-day advanced training in Perinatal Loss. Dvora is an adjunct professor at Wurzweiler School of Social Work, teaching Maternal Mental Health, and maintains a group practice of specialized licensed therapists serving PA, NJ, NY, & Israel.
COMMENTATOR
Nancy Berlow, National Council of Jewish Women, Pregnancy Loss Support Program
Nancy Berlow, LCSW, has been the Clinical Supervisor of the Pregnancy Loss Support Program (PLSP) of the National Council of Jewish Women, New York Section since 2011. She trains and supervises volunteer counselors who provide care for PLSP’s bereaved clients, work that includes facilitating support groups and conducting one-on-one telephone counseling sessions. Nancy has been in the field of providing support to bereaved parents and educating medical professionals for 25 years.
Jewish Ritual Struggles with Perinatal Loss
Although we have a rich and supportive set of rituals for the death of an adult, those that deal with the loss of a pregnancy or an infant are lacking. How do we honor the memory of such a short life? Do we need new rituals to grapple with this type of grief and suffering? What can we do to build ritual tools such as taharah, shmirah, burial, and periods of mourning?
SPEAKER
Rabbi Janet Madden
Rabbi Janet Madden, Ph.D, has served as a hospice, hospital, and congregational rabbi. She is a widely-published poet, ritualist, liturgist, and essayist, and finds joy in teaching Torah and creating and officiating soulful lifecycle events. She is the author of a forthcoming book on creative Jewish ritual.
SPEAKER
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin is the founder of the National Council of Jewish Women, Pregnancy Loss Support Program and the author of Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope: A Jewish Spiritual Companion for Infertility and Pregnancy Loss.
COMMENTATOR
Reva Judas, Founder & Director, NechamaComfort
Reva Judas created NechamaComfort to help families dealing with perinatal loss after the tragic loss of Reva's firstborn baby, Pesach. Reva's mission is that no one should ever feel alone when experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.