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Monthly Archives: May 2010

Additional Staff Training in Cultural Competence in Health

During the last couple of weeks we have had two more staff training as a part of our program on Cultural Competence in Health in Jerusalem, together with the Jerusalem Foundation.

On May 6, 2010, we had a second training program for educational staff of Alyn Hospital. The JICC adapted a workshop originally aimed at medical staff for the specific needs of teachers in the hospital. The result, as reported by the participants at the end of the workshop, was excellent, with participants reporting that they were more aware of the cultural and linguistic needs of the people they serve.

Alyn Training - Educational Staff

Alyn Training – Educational Staff

A week later, on May 13, 2010, we focused on issues surrounding cultural competency in health care delivery to the medical staff of the Clalit HMO. Again, participants agreed that the workshop covered exactly what they needed for the inter-cultural challenges they meet.

Clalit Training May 2010

Clalit Training May 2010

It is positive feedback like this that lets us continue with these training workshops knowing that we are making a difference!

2014-04-09T17:19:16+00:00May 13th, 2010|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Health Services|

Healing From Within: Opening of the Muslim Prayer Room at Alyn Hospital – May 6 2010

As a part of our project Cultural Competence in Health in Jerusalem, supported by the Jerusalem Foundation, the Alyn Children Rehabilitation Hospital has decided to open a Muslim Prayer Room. It is important to note that it is the first Muslim prayer room in a non-Arab hospital in the city, and the second in Israel. It is a result of a deep understanding of the importance of prayer to the healing process.

Opening of Alyn Muslim Prayer Room

Opening of Alyn Muslim Prayer Room

Community leaders from Tsur Baher, Fuad Abu Hamed and Sheikh Issam, were consulted to ensure that the room was well adapted to the special religious needs of Muslims. These leaders generously helped us to know how to furnish the room allocated for use as a prayer room and gave gifts of Korans and prayer carpets. Alyn Hospital made all the necessary adjustments to ensure that the room included a feet bathing corner, a special clock that shows the time of prayer each day and other essential furbishings. Appropriate signage in Hebrew and Arabic marks the location for visitors, patients and staff.

Today was the formal opening; a few weeks of pilot operation showed that the room is already well used by the Muslim community of the hospital. We at the JICC are very proud to be a part of this initiative of Alyn. Experience shows that patients who feel that the hospital is open to their spiritual needs respond much better to medical treatments.

We hope with time to convince other hospitals in Jerusalem similarly to allow people of all religions room for prayer and reflection in a respectful way.

2014-04-09T16:58:07+00:00May 6th, 2010|Blog, Cultural Competence, Cultural Competence in Health Services, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs|

Meeting of the City Engineer with East Jerusalem Leaders – May 2010

Getting people to work together, in a challenging political environment, is one of JICC’s most important tasks.

Recently, alongside the many requests from East Jerusalem Palestinian residents to help them meet with officials responsible for the city’s Master Plan, we received a similar request from Jerusalem’s Chief Engineer Shlomo Eshkol to meet with East Jerusalem leaders to discuss it.

Today, it happened. Careful preparation made by Ezadeen Al-Saad, JICC’s head of the East Jerusalem desk, ensured that close to 20 of the main leaders from most East Jerusalem neighborhoods came to the meeting with Shlomo Eshkol at JICC.

May 5 City Engineer Meeting on East Jerusalem

May 5 City Engineer Meeting on East Jerusalem

These community leaders came from Beit Hanina, Shuafat, A-Tur, Silwan, A-Tori (Abu-Tor) and Tsur Baher. The city planning situation in East Jerusalem is hard to tackle as we are dealing with problems that have not been addressed for over 40 years.

The Master Plan Maps at the City Engineer Meeting on East Jerusalem

The Master Plan Maps at the City Engineer Meeting on East Jerusalem

As it was the first time in years that leaders from so many neighborhoods in East Jerusalem came together to discuss solutions, this meeting set the stage for future meetings. Many ideas for the future emerged. First, those who came will continue to meet with the City Engineer to solve city wide issues. Secondly, there will be local district meetings to solve neighborhood planning issues. And lastly – the forum is considering meeting together to tackle other East Jerusalem issues as well.

2014-04-09T16:57:15+00:00May 5th, 2010|Blog, Identity Groups and Conflicts, Palestinians/Arabs|
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