Course 2 - Tahara and Shmira - Detailed Outline

Gamliel Institute – Course 2 – Tahara and Shmira

Course 2 of the Gamliel Institute is Tahara and Shmira – Ritual Washing and Guarding. It is presented in two parts.

     Part A is 16 hours of sessions, divided into six segments (marked below in dark green) presented at the 8^th North American Chevra Kadisha conference, and in post conference sessions in Atlanta, GA June 6-9, 2010.

    Part B is course material, readings, assignments and on-line sessions similar to the first Gamliel course on Chevra Kadisha. Part B will start in late Summer or early Fall.

Tuition for Course 2 is $1,000 plus $120 for on-site fees (which covers Tuesday dinner, Wednesday breakfast and Wednesday lunch.)

Students must also register for the conference (which includes 6 Kosher meals), make hotel reservations (including Tuesday evening) and book flights to and from Atlanta.

We are working on arrangements for students who are unable to be at the conference. Please let us know if you are interested in Course 2, but cannot make it to the conference.

To register go to the Gamliel Institute Course 2 Registration Form    

To pay for the course go to the credit card payment page

For more information contact David Zinner or Stuart Kelman

Course 2 - Tahara Essentials and Study – Detailed Outline

Part A

I.     Tahara Demonstration – Coordinated by Rick Light

II.   Complicated Tahara – Dr. Michael Slater

A.        tubes and medical devices

B.        bleeding

C.        smell

D.        suicide

E.        autopsy

F.         organ donation

III. Processing Emotions after Tahara – Rabbi Mel Glazer

IV.              Tahara Manuals – Dr. David Sclar and Rabbi Stuart Kelman

A.      History and Development

                       1.          How are they used

a.    Reader from a book

b.    Reader from wall poster

c.    Read in unison

d.    Study

                       2.          Provenance and distribution

                       3.          Examples

a.    Chicago – Jewish Sacred Society

b.    New Haven

c.    Kelman

d.    Web site

                       4.          Variations in tefila

                       5.          Creation of new manuals

                       6.          Availability of existing manuals

B.      Tahara Tefila

                       1.          Understanding the meaning

a.    terminology

                       2.          What are the sources

                       3.          When do we say them

a.    before, during and after Rechitza,

b.    Tahara

c.    Halbasha b’tachrichim

d.    closing ritual

                       4.          kavanah

                       5.          following the rosh

                       6.          Variations

a.    Ashkenazi and Sephardi

b.    Orthodox and non-Orthodox

                       7.          Gender appropriate language

V.  Tahara Training Q & A – David Zinner

A.      Review

                       1.          Rechitza

a.    supplies

b.    adhesives, bandages, pads, tubes, stitches, tape

c.    soap

d.    internal cleansing

e.    ears

f.      nails

g.    hair

h.    bed sores

i.      tubes

j.      bleeding

k.    false teeth, prosthetics

                       2.          Purification

a.    pouring

i. supine - boards

ii. wedge

iii. standing

b.    mikvah

i. mechanical lift

ii. automated lift

                       3.          Halbasha b’Tachrichim – Dressing in Burial Garments

a.    Gamliel

b.    number of pieces

c.    socks vs. feet sewn shut

d.    single pieces

e.    kittel used for Yom Kippur

f.      removing metal

g.    tallit

h.    kippah

i.      tying knots

j.      Afar - dirt or sand from Israel

k.    gerblach – pottery

l.      wine or vinegar with egg wash

m.  Lifts and pulleys

B.        Special Minhagim

                       1.          internal cleansing

                       2.          mikvah vs. nine kavim

                       3.          egg white & vinegar

                       4.          sherblach - pottery

                       5.          gerblach – sticks

 

C.        Learning the techniques

                       1.          video

                       2.          mannequin

                       3.          observing

                       4.          apprentice to another CK

                       5.          first time

                       6.          veterans of other minhagim

VI.              Tahara Safety Review – CDC representative

A.        Infection control

                       1.          types of infections

                       2.          how infections spread

B.        barrier protection

C.        Vaccination

D.        Lifting correctly

Part B (on-line)

VII.            Tahara Spirituality

A.        Transformative Power of Tahara and Shmira

B.        Meaning and Purpose of Tahara Rituals

VIII.          Tahara Tradition

A.        History and Sources

B.        Tahor and Tameh

C.        Tahara Responsa

IX.              Tachrichim

A.       History and Sources

B.        Aron – Casket

X.               Tahara Review

XI.              Shmira - Guarding

XII.            Tahara Facilities

A.        Funeral Director and Funeral Homes

                       1.          Cooperation

                       2.          Problems

B.        Home Tahara