This page is here for historical reasons.

The Chaver program continues. Please contact Ethan Adler if you are interested in current information about the program.

Beth David hosted Jewish Seniors Agency’s CHAVER Program

Congregation Beth David hosted CHAVER, a program of the Jewish Seniors Agency, in Providence. CHAVER (Hebrew for ‘Friend’) is designed to meet the spiritual needs of residents who may have lost touch with the outside world. In preparation to becoming a CHAVER, the JSA offers a 4-week course. Each weekly segment includes both a secular and a Jewish component, encompassing the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of facility residents. Graduates of this course are matched with local residents. Once the regular visits begin, the volunteer visitor becomes a true friend, a CHAVER.

CHAVER is an organized and structured program, designed to meet the spiritual needs of residents who may have lost touch with the outside world. Regularly scheduled visits by volunteers will help assure the formation of healing relationships and in the process provide for a higher quality of life and spiritual connections.

The curriculum includes a review of visiting skills, i.e. Listening and Feedback, and Jewish concepts, i.e. Bikkur Cholim (Visiting the Sick), Death, Afterlife and spirituality. Additionally, volunteers will be introduced to the challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.

Once the training workshop is completed, volunteers will be matched with residents. Formal and informal follow-up meetings will give all volunteers an opportunity to share stories and concerns. Throughout this experience, the CHAVER coordinator will supervise all the activities via electronic and face-to-face meetings.

This 4-week evening course was scheduled to be offered at the Temple on Monday Evenings, from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, on the following dates: June 21, June 28, July 12 and July 19 2004.

Ultimately, it is hoped that CHAVER participants will become members of the Temple’s caring Committee, who will continue performing this important Mitzvah.