What's New at Wurzweiler

The Globalization of SW Education: Field Placement in Ethiopa

2010-07-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Raesa Kaiteris, our Associate Dean of Field Work, writes:

Through our collaborative arrangement with a Canadian agency, Christian Horizons Global, we created a nine month field work internship for one of our Block students, Maurice Koetsier, in Assela, Ethiopia.
While WSSW's commitment to faculty advisement in the field--unique among the New York City schools of social work--had resulted in visits to placements all over theU.S., Canada, Paris, and Israel, this was the first time we had "placed" a student in Africa!
As his faculty advisor, I had the opportunity to visit with him for a week in February of 2010. It gave me an opportunity to become acquainted with the people of Assela as well as the remarkable work of several NGOs dedicated to improving their living conditions. They faced problems such as poverty, drought, sub-standard housing and limited access to education.
Needless to say, Maurice made remarkable strides in his practice skills as well as his self-awareness. Cultural sensitivity was no classroom exercise in this part of the world. He was obliged to develop programs that were relevant to the local community and sustainable after he departed; it was also imperative that he deeply understood the distinction between “doing with” and “doing for.”
I hope Maurice's experience in Africa inspires other Block students to push the boundaries of traditional social work education. As our problems in the 21st century become more global, social work services must achieve a “global identity” in order to remain relevant and vital.

Rachel's Kippots

2010-03-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

In a previous post we talked about WSSW students who had started their own websites. Faith Herring, a second year student who participated in our New Orleans Seminar, brought this lovely and unusual web site to our attention.

Kippot by Rachel

Rachel is Rachel Hindel, a second year student in the block program. On her web-site you can order kippot, often called yarmulke, the skull cap traditionally worn at all times by observant Jewish men. Rachel hand crochets these to order, in a variety of patterns and beautiful colored yarns.

I asked Rachel how she had come to start her business, and this is her response:

My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was young, but it wasn't until I moved to Israel for my gap year that I learned how to make kippot. We were sitting on Kibbutz and I thought it would be great idea to make kippot for my friends. It was only 6 years later that I thought about selling my work. It takes about 7-10 hours to make a kippah and I now I can share my creativity and hard work with everyone.

I will be entering my third summer in the block program at WSSW. I knew I wanted to be in a welcoming and positive learning environment and because I am such a hands on person I chose the block program to be able to truly experience working in the field. I love social work because it allows me to help others. I know everyone feels some form of satisfaction when people are appreciative of their help and efforts, which is also why I love to make kippot. I hope you enjoy looking through my website!

Rachel Hindel

Dr. Gary Stein Gives Paper at Palliatrive Care Con, Unveils New WSSW Elective

2010-03-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Palliative care–-providing support to clients and families facing life-limiting and chronic illness--is one of the fastest growing new specialties for social workers, particularly in hospitals and hospices. To advance practice, research, education, and policy in this field, the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network sponsored a one-day pre-conference on March 3, 2010 at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in Boston.

Gary L. Stein, JD, MSW, associate professor at WSSW, directed the program with Grace Christ, a professor from the Columbia University School of Social Work.

The conference program included national social work leaders from academia and hospital-based practices. Panels addressed cutting-edge research and innovative practices. Dr. Stein presented a paper on the evolution of palliative care training in MSW and interprofessional education. He discussed a model palliative care course elective he is developing for WSSW’s new Gerontology Certificate Program. Interested students can contact Dr. Stein at glstein@yu.edu.

WSSW Students: What's on Their Minds?

2010-03-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love about teaching at WSSW is the diversity of our students: not just that they are black or white, Latino or Chinese, Chasid or Catholic, but also the variety of interests and attitudes. Here are a blog and a website written and maintained by WSSW students that couldn't be more different.

The first, "by Aaron Steinberg" discusses some serious matters in contemporary Judaism such as the Torah's views on homosexuality, reflections on last years General Assembly and reflections on l eadership inspired by the Purim story.

The second, a website written and maintained by Rachel Kristol, is devoted to happy news about animals (no sad news, please!). Links provide access to articles about speed dating for bunny rabbits, a dog that was recovered 600 miles from home, and sweaters for chickens! A more serious theme runs beneath the funny stuff: that pets are an effective way of reducing stress in human beings, as well as a source of comfort and companionship.

If you've heard about other blogs and websites by WSSW students, let me know and I'll feature them here on "What's New."

Best,

TheCyberProf
(Fast@yu.edu)

http://www.thehappypetworld.com/
http://aaronsteinberg.wordpress.com/

Still More About The New Orleans Trip

2010-03-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Late breaking news! Marc T. Raco was awarded the prestigious Bronze "Telly Award" for his creative editing of the video of our January 2010 student service project!

Marc T. Raco, office manager, tech guy and part time video editor, made a superb montage out of the video footage Dr. Fast shot during the New Orleans Seminar: Katrina: Five Years Later. The footage was originally assembled as an introduction for a Lunch and Learn that was presented on February 17th. Now, through the magic of YouTube, we can share it with the world:

See a slide show of the trip here.

More on New orleans Seminar

2010-02-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Like we promised, more about the trip to New Orleans, and more photos.

Lunch and Learn on Feb 17, 1:00, rm 921, all students invited!

Prof. Susan Bendor Speaks on Behalf of Hungarian Child Survivors of the Holocaust

2010-01-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

Wurzweiler Professor Susan Bendor has had a busy winter!

At the end of October she led two workshops at the 21^st Annual International Conference of the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust in Boston, one exploring the challenges and coping styles of the oldest group of child survivors, born before 1932; the other focused on resilience and other legacies child survivors considered passing on to their children and society at large.

On September 9^th she was one of three Hungarian Child Survivors who were invited to appear on a Boston-Newton Public Access TV Program called “On the Sunnier Side of the Street," hosted by Dr. Todd Gross. Gross features guests who have overcome tremendous odds and are able to turn traumas into victories.

The invitation to this TV program was the result of a book, Remember Us: A Collection of Memories from Hungarian Hidden Children of the Holocaust to which she contributed three chapters.

Dr. Bendor speaks frequently in person and on television and radio "to highlight the enormous difference one or more courageous, decent individuals can make in the lives of the oppressed, and conversely, the high cost of indifference to genocide and injustice, now or in the past."

Rev. Jerry Streets Interviewed on NY1

2010-01-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

NY1 recently aired a program about how members of the Haitian Community in Brooklyn and Queens were dealing with their grief over the Earthquake in their homeland of Haiti. Brookdale Family Care Center, and the mental health clinics at Brookdale and Jamaica hospitals have been reaching out to New York's Haitian communities to provide grief counseling.

Among those interviewed is the Rev. Jerry Streets, PhD, a professor at Wurzweiler and an authority on helping people cope with loss

Click here to watch, "Grief Counselors Reach out to Haitian Community"(Rev. Streets' appears at about 1 min, 30 secs into the video.)

WSSW Students Visit New Orleans

2010-01-26T12:34:00.000-08:00

During winter break, a group of WSSW students from all three methods (case work, group work, and community organization) visited New Orleans with professors Saul Andron and Jonathan Fast. While there they met with community leaders and agency directors to better understand how residents of the city coped with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They spent two days remediating mold in a house that was being restored by the St. Bernard's Project. More about the trip to New orleans in future posts, but for now enjoy a slide-show of some of the pictures the group members took.

Jewish Communal Service Students Attend GA, Hear Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, and Ram Emanuel, and Others

2009-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

Sixteen Wurzweiler students attended the annual General Assembly of the Jewish Federation of North America in Washington, D.C. in mid-November alongside over 3,000 lay leaders and professionals from the US and around the world. The students heard prominent political figures from Israel and community leaders of Jewish organization, large and small, addressing issues vital to the Jewish community. Forum topics included:

Creative new fundraising techniques,

effective management of nonprofit agencies in an economic crisis,

advocacy strategies for Israel and human rights, service learning opportunities,

support for at-risk Jewish communities around the world,

and entrepreneurship and innovation in the Jewish community.

All these topics were filtered through the lens of the challenging economic realities facing the Jewish federation system today.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, speak about the Middle East peace process and his commitment to revive negotiations with Israel’s Arab neighbors and the Palestinians. Netanyahu emphasized three themes: creating a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, disarming Iran’s nuclear capabilities and reducing Israel’s oil dependency.

The delegates were also privileged to hear Foreign Minister Ehud Barak, Natan Sharansky, the recently elected Chairman of the Jewish Agency, and Ram Emanual, President Obama’s Chief of Staff. Each emphasized themes of Jewish unity, support for a secure and flourishing Israel, and the importance of the Jewish Federation in meeting the needs of Jewish communities locally, in Israel and around the world.

One of the most moving moments of the conference was the presentation by Torah for Troops, an organization dedicated to getting Torah scrolls to American soldiers on the front lines. Several members of the armed forces joined a sofer, a scribe, to recite a blessing and then complete a letter in the Torah scroll. This kosher Torah scroll is specially designed to be small, light-weight and portable so military chaplains are able to bring it to serve the religious needs of Jews serving in the armed forces in far-off bases around the world.

Thanks to Dr. Andron's planning, the students attended several private networking sessions including a lunch meeting with Wurzweiler alumni, who spoke about their Wurzweiler education and their careers in the Jewish Federation system.

Second year students incorporated their experiences at the General Assembly into their classroom learning through a unique learning collaboration with the Greater Washington DC Jewish Federation’s Leadership Development Department. They met with professional and lay leaders from the Federation to learn about the demographic profiles, interests, and needs of young Jewish adults. These students will analyze the data in order to to create a needs assessment questionnaire for the Jewish young adults in the Washington DC area.

The GA conference exceeded the expectations of many of the students and served as an invaluable learning and networking experience.

Thanks to Alizah David, guest editor, photograph by Robert A. Cumins

WSSW Prof Joan Beder is Indianapolis Star!

2009-11-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

Dr. Joan Beder was quoted in an Indianapolis Star article about doctors forming partnershi[ps with lawyers in order to address patients' social and economic issues without impacting negatively on their health.

Read the article...

WSSW Prof, Rev Jerry Street Named 2010 Fellow by Connecticut Health Foundation

2009-11-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

The Connecticut Health Foundation the state’s largest independent health philanthropy association, has announced its 2010 Health Leadership Fellows, and Rev. Jerry Street is one of the 22 Connecticut residents to recive this honor. According to Patricia Baker, the President and CEO of the foundation, each of the the Fellows possesses the qualities and experience necessary to effect changes in Connecticut's health systems that will improve the health of our state's residents.

Samuel Bronfman Foundation Hosts Seminar for JCS Students

2009-10-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, October 14, ten students from the Jewish Communal Service program attended a unique seminar on startups, innovation and social entrepreneurship in the Jewish community, hosted by the Samuel Bronfman Foundation and facilitated by a panel of experts in startups, innovations, social entrepreneurship and new giving in the Jewish community.

Students were joined by Dean Sheldon Gelman, Dr. Saul Andron, and Professor Lynn Levy, who teach in the Jewish Communal program, and board member, Joel Daner.

Speakers highlighted the growth of an array of small Jewish startups including innovative prayer and spirituality groups, cutting-edge cultural initiatives, and creative educational approaches.

Shawn Landres, Co-founder and CEO of Jumpstart, a Los Angeles based think tank, began the evening with a presentation called The Innovation Ecosystem: Emergence of a New Jewish Landscape (2009) a ground breaking report on grassroots Jewish philanthropic innovation, metrics for success, and partnerships to reduce cost.

Dana Raucher, Executive Director of the Samuel Bronfman Foundation, spoke about the foundation’s position on innovation in Jewish life and the strengthening of the Jewish not-for-profit sector. She presented a case example of the Foundation's funding of an innovative program initiative.

The final presentation of the evening was given by Maya Bernstein, Director of Education and Leadership Initiatives at Upstart Bay Area in San Francisco, California. Ms. Bernstein noted that the majority of Jews in the Bay area are not affiliated with traditional Jewish organizations like synagogues or JCCs. Young Jews in particular are seeking new, more intimate and creative ways to connect with different aspects of Jewish life. Her startup is providing technical assistance to the growing number of startup groups which have emerged in the San Francisco Bay area.

Thanks to guest editor, block student David English!

WSSW Gets Grant to Fund Financial Literacy Curriculum

2009-10-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

In response to the economic recession and high levels of unemployment and economic displacement, The New York Community Trust has provided a 20-month grant of $214,000 to six schools of social work which are part of the New York City Social Work Education Consortium.

The grant is to be used to train social workers to better assist families in economic distress. Specifically, the six schools of social work at Hunter College, Fordham University, Lehman College, Long Island University, Touro College, and Yeshiva University will collaboratively develop, test, and implement a financial literacy curriculum as part of their education of social work students.

The new knowledge and skills will be applied in field work settings throughout the metropolitan area. Professor Joanna Mellor will serve as Wurzweiler’s liaison to the project. Funds for the Trust’s grant are from the Harriett M. Bartlett Fund, the New York Critical Needs Fund, and the Oakey and Ethel Witherspoon Alexander Fund.

Strug & LaPorte to Discuss Research on "Pedro Pan" Refugees

2009-09-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

Dr. David Strug, a professor at WSSW and Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte, an associate professor at Lehman College, are conducting research on the Child Welfare Cuban Refugee Service Program, better known as Operation Peter Pan, or more commonly Operation Pedro Pan.

Operation Pedro Pan, run by the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, sent more than 14,000 Cuban children to the United States as unaccompanied minors in 1961 and 1962. Among them were 400 Jewish children. Doctors Strug and LaPorte have interviewed close to 50 of these Jewish Cuban-American children, now in their fifties and sixties and living mostly in South Florida, to learn how this uprooting has affected their lives.

Strug and LaPorte will be talking about their research and interviews with former Peter Pan children at a conference sponsored by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research on November 2, 2009. The conference, entitled “New York and the American Jewish Experience,” will take place at the Center for Jewish History in NYC, at 15 W. 16th St. Click here for map and directions.

The conference is free and open to the public.

Deans Gelman & Hendricks Picked as "Pioneers of Social Work" by NASW

2009-08-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler's Dean Sheldon R. Gelman, and Associate Dean, Carmen Ortiz Hendricks have been named “Social Work Pioneers” by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

NASW Pioneers are social workers who have explored new territories and built outposts for human services on many frontiers. Some are well known; others less famous outside their immediate colleagues and the region where they live and work. But each has made an important contribution to the social work profession and to social policies through service, teaching, writing, research, program development, administration, or legislation. (Read more about NASW Pioneers)

During his 19 years of service at Wurzweiler, Dean Gelman has hired prestigious faculty, strengthened academic standards, embraced new technology, and encouraged research-oriented practice. The results are evident in our top 50 ranking in US News and World Report, our recognition as having one of the most productive faculties of any social work school, and, most recently, our 2009 re-accreditation study by the Council on Social Work Education, where every aspect of the program received enthusiastic praise.

In addition to his outstanding work at Wurzweiler, Dean Gelman has published numerous articles in social work and social welfare policy journals and has contributed to The Encyclopedia of Social Work, The Social Workers’ Desk Reference and The Handbook of Human Services Management. Dean Gelman holds advanced degrees from the Heller School at Brandeis University and from Yale Law School.

Associate Dean Carmen Hendricks joined the Wurzweiler administration and faculty in July of 2005. She is a former president of the New York City Chapter of National Association of Social Workers, and is well-known for her in work culturally competent social work education and practice. As a member of NASW’s National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, she helped develop the Standards for Cultural Competence in the Social Work Practice. She is a founding member of the Latino Social Work Task Force. She has co-authored and edited seminal books in social worked education including, Learning to Teach—Teaching to Learn: A Guide to Social Work Field Education, Intersecting Child Welfare, Substance Abuse and Family Violence: Culturally Competent Approaches and Women of Color as Social Work Educators: Strengths and Survival.

New Book by Mason, Strug & Beder Examines Health Care in Cuba

2009-07-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Interest in the Cuban health care model has grown over the years and despite ongoing changes in Cuban society, the pride and satisfaction Cuban citizens take in their
health care system suggest that it will likely prevail in post-Castro Cuba. Susan E. Mason, David L. Strug, and Joan Beder have edited this collection of essays by contributors who are respected professionals in Cuba and the United States. Community Health Care in Cuba examines this closely integrated system in which community representatives, nurses, doctors, social workers, and other health care specialists work together to meet the health care needs of all Cuba's citizens. The collection features a first-hand look into the country's highly successful, integrated, and prevention-oriented health care model and includes interviews with the director of Cuba's National Medical Sciences Information Center (INFOMED) and the president of the Cuban Society of Social Workers in Health Care. Placing Cuba at the forefront as a model of international health care, this book illustrates how Cuba, despite its economic constraints, is able to deliver high-quality care to its citizens from a local to national level. (From the Lyceum website)

Click here for more about Community Health Care in Cuba
Click here to buy the book at Amazon.com

Click here to hear author David Strug on the radio show, Against the Grain, discussing how older Cubans feel about Castro's revolution.

Pimpare to Receive Harrington Award for Latest Book

2009-06-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Stephen Pimpare, who teaches political science at Wurzweiler School of Social Work and Yeshiva College, will receive the Michael Harrington Book Award given by the New Political Science section of the American Political Science Association for his latest book, A People's History of Poverty in America. The Awards Committee wrote:

The future of the American welfare state has been an important topic for decades. Pimpare's work is an outstanding addition to the literature. The committee was impressed by the author's historically-grounded scholarship, the novelty of his approach and use of sources, and the eloquence of his exposition. Driven by deep commitments to social equality and justice, Pimpare's book contributes to the Michael Harrington tradition in powerful ways.

Dr. Pimpare will be presented the award on the evening of Saturday, September 5, in Toronto as part of the APSA conference.

Watch Dr. Pimpare being interviewed by Amy Goodman on the current state of poverty in America (a transcript is also provided.)

14 WSSW Students Graduate With Certificate in Jewish Communal Service

2009-06-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

This spring 15 graduating students (May, 2009) completed the Certificate in Jewish Communal Services. Professors Saul Andron (program director) and Lynn Levy stand at the left and right of the group. Click here to learn more about this exciting program (pdf file).

WSSW Doctoral Student, Strauss, Honored by NY Academy of Medicine

2009-06-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

The New York Academy of Medicine Section on Social Work held its first annual Student Night in April. The event honored students from 5 NYC schools of social work for their work in community health care. Wurzweiler’s doctoral student, Judy Strauss, was recognized for her research on Baby Boomers’ roles and attitudes towards menopause.

Judy Strauss, who successfully defended her dissertation this spring, joined students from NYU, Columbia, Fordham, and Lehman College in displaying posters of their work at a reception preceding the awards. The reception was followed by formal presentations by the honorees of their work to a crowd of deans, faculty, students, families and friends, and presentation of certificates. The students were also given a year’s free membership in the Social Work Fellows’ section of the Academy.

Two Wurzweiler Students are Children of the World Fellows

2009-05-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Two graduating Wurzweiler students, Erwich Cherry and Courtney Adams, are fellows with the Children of the World Community Program funded by the NYS Social Work Education Consortium and the New York Community Trust. The program provides services to densely populated immigrant communities in NYC. Six of the New York schools of social work participate in this program, sponsering 12 fellows in all.

The internships are provided in partnership with New York City's Administration for Children' s Service (ACS) in an attempt to decrease the number of new immigrants referred to NYC's Administration for Children's Services by increasing preventive services. An integral part of the fellowship includes a trip to Ghana. This "capstone" project was organized by the 12 fellows. Deans, directors, faculty, and administrators from ACS and the participating social work schools were all in attendance for the event. The presentation included a documentary about cultural awareness that the fellows created and a panel discussion describing their educational experience.

Wurzweiler 1 of 15 Schools Selected for Hartford Foundation Grant!

2009-05-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler has received notification from the Council on Social Work Education Gero-Ed Center that it has been selected for participation in the Specialized Gerontology Program, funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation. Wurzweiler was one of 15 programs funded from a national pool of 46 proposals. The award, the third grant WSSW has received from the Hartford Foundation, is for $10,000 to be spent over two yearsto enhance gerontological studies at Wurzweiler. Dr Rozetta Wilmore–Schaffer is the lead faculty on this award.

Learn more about the John A. Hartford geriatric social work initiative...

Wurzweiler Conference Tackles Crisis in Elder Health Care

2009-05-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Human service and legal professionals gathered in Weisberg Commons on May 1 to advocate for much needed changes in the delivery of health care on the local, state and national levels. “Navigating the Health Care Maze: At the Cusp of Change,” sponsored by Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Bronx Regional Interagency Council on Aging and Washington Heights/Inwood Interagency Council on Aging, was the seventh in a series of annual conferences on issues in aging organized by Wurzweiler and its planning partners.

The program began with a PowerPoint presentation by Evelyn Laureano ’05, PhD, executive director, Neighborhood Self-Help by Older Persons Project, Inc., highlighting comments and recurring experiences of older persons frustrated by the current health care system. After greetings from Wurzweiler Dean Sheldon R. Gelman, PhD, and alumnae Fern Hertzberg ‘87, MSW, executive director, ARC XVI, Washington Heights/Inwood Council on Aging, and Phyllis Erlbaum-Zur ‘03, PhD, director of admissions and discharge services, Jewish Home and Hospital Life Care System, the gathering was addressed by the panel of featured experts: Cardozo alumnus Martin Petroff, JD, Martin Petroff and Associates; Michealle Carpenter, JD, deputy policy director and counsel, Medicare Rights Center; Amy Bernstein, The LTC Insurance Resource Center, New York City Department for the Aging; Valerie Bogart, JD, director, Evelyn Frank Legal Resource Program at Self-Help Community Services, Inc.; and Michael Olender, associate state director, AARP.

Oleander stated:

We have a real opportunity to move ahead on health care reform with the White House following through on campaign promises regarding the ‘Divided We Fail’ platform and Congressional activity on such issues as Medicare/doctor reimbursement and funding for research.

The panel discussion was followed by workshops focusing on Medicare Part D, Medicaid Eligibility and Trusts, Medicaid and Long Term Care, Long Term Care Insurance, Mental Health Care System, and Managed Care and Communication. Joining panelists as workshop leaders were Betty Duggan, director of volunteer and community programs, Medicare Rights Center; Menahem Dimant, MD, Beth Abraham Family of Health Services; and Martha Sullivan, DSW, executive director, Fordham-Tremont Community Mental Health Center. Post-workshop speaker Mark Hannay of the Metro New York Health Care for All Campaign reported on city-wide efforts on behalf of universal health care reform in anticipation of the Congressional vote this fall. The presentations closed with Rosa Perla Resnick ‘76, PhD, of the United Nation’s NGO Committee on Ageing, who reported that the worldwide elderly population will approach two billion by 2050.

“I thought the conference was great. The workshops were extensive and well put-together,” said attendee Jose Lopez of the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged.

PBS NewsHour Features WSSW Grad, Cruz Rodriguez

2009-05-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

On May 1, 2009, PBS NewsHour aired a segment about the new wave of not-for-profit agencies that provide loans and credit training for those with low incomes. Among the credit counselors interviewed: Cruz Rodriguez, MSW, who graduated Wurzweiler School of Social Work in July 2008. Cruz is currently employed by a not-for-profit called Credit Where Credit is Due. He made a mid-life change to professional social work aided by Wurzweiler's flexible class schedule (courses are offered on Sundays, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings) and a scholarship from the Latino Social Work Task Force.

To see Cruz in action, fast-forward to the 5.00 minute mark.

Doctoral Student Receives $40,000 Grant From American Cancer Society

2009-05-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Penny Damaskos, a doctoral candidate at Wurzweiler School of Social Work who recently received a $40,000, two-year grant from the American Cancer Society. The grant is meant to encourage researchers in the field of oncology social work. Ms. Damaskos has over fourteen years of experience in the field of oncology social work and currently runs the Post-Treatment Resource Program for cancer survivors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

For her dissertation, Ms. Damaskos hopes to examine the concept of resiliency in oncology social workers to better understand why people stay in the oncology field despite the high stress. She hopes the subject could have significant training implications both for the field and in practice arenas.

Ms. Damaskos first heard about the grant a few years ago while attending a conference of the Association of Oncology in Social Work. She was encouraged to apply for the grant by her colleague, and fellow Wurzweiler doctoral student, Louisa Daratsos. Louisa is also a recipient of the ACS Doctoral Studies Grant and provided support to Penny as she navigated through the application process.

Ms. Damaskos encourages students in Masters and Ph.D. studies who are interested in the field of oncology to apply for this grant. Those who are considering it will find that they are welcome and well-supported. Ms. Damaskos explains that the grant applicants can be at the beginning stages of their doctoral studies and still apply for this grant. It is important for the student to show commitment and the intent to serve in the oncology social work field. Since several WSSW students have already received the grant, the school has the infrastructure in place to make the application process a bit easier.

The Doctoral Training Grant is a two year grant with the possibility of extension for four years. It will help students cover the costs associated with research, tuition, attending relevant conferences and travel expenses.

Click here for more info about the grant.

Click here for Masters level funding.

Ms. Damaskos is also the co-author (with Page Tolbert) of 100 Questions and Answers about Life After Cancer: A Survivor's Guide.
(Thanks to guest editor, Aries Liao)

“Leadership today is all about taking on responsibility” President Joel Lunches with JCS Students

2009-05-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

On April 1, 2009, President Richard Joel met with over 20 Jewish Communal Certificate students, several Wurzweiler faculty members, Dean Gelman and a Wurzweiler board member for a private luncheon in the presidential boardroom. Sitting around the conference table, President Joel engaged the students in a frank and honest exchange about current challenges facing Jewish nonprofits and Yeshiva University in sustaining their missions and program commitments in the face of the severe economic downturn. As President Joel addressed future leaders of the Jewish communal world in a lively question and answer format, discussion topics ranged from the meaning of leadership, the value of professional practice in communities outside of the tri-state area and the current challenges and new opportunities facing Jewish agencies. His remarks reflected a balance between a serious appraisal of today’s difficult economic realities and optimism for a brighter future for Jewish communal life with new and creative professional opportunities to make a real and lasting contribution.

President Joel described the way in which the nature of Jewish communal leadership has changed in the past few years. As he affirmed, “Leadership today is all about taking on responsibility.” The new generation of professional leaders has the responsibility to provide communities with the proper tools and resources to make choices for themselves. An education in social work practice along with knowledge of the Jewish community and its needs and changing organizational structure is a valuable combination of assets for the new generation of Jewish communal leaders. President Joel strongly emphasized the importance of having dedicated, passionate and skilled individuals with creative visions of vibrant Jewish life, in this field, and nods of agreement rippled across the boardroom.

Students of the Jewish communal track were enlightened and encouraged by the luncheon.

“It was such an honor to hear insight from such a predominant figure in the field of Jewish communal service. As an aspiring professional, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to hear from someone who has so much experience in the field,” commented Danielle Skurnick, a first year Wurzweiler student.

Chana Topek, a second year student, also reflected glowingly on the experience. "President Joel gave an uplifting and realistically positive perspective for our future as individuals involved in Jewish leadership.”
(Thanks to Adena Stern, guest editor.)

Wurzweiler awarded $550,000 Child Welfare Training Grant

2009-04-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler School of Social Work was the only New York school selected for a half million dollar grant from the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute in collaboration with the U.S. Children’s Bureau. This new child welfare training initiative will extend over five years and includes scholarship support and curricular innovations.

Wurzweiler will select 12 Child Protective Service workers each year from the New York City Children’s Services (NYCCS) as full-time graduate students who will complete a curriculum infused with child welfare content and enrichment seminars leading to a new Certificate in Child Welfare Practice (CCWP).

Scholarship recipients will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to culturally competent child welfare practice with Hispanic communities. Other Wurzweiler students committed to child welfare and serving Hispanic families in New York City will also be eligible to participate in this special certificate program. Wurzweiler hopes that this grant will further enhance its affiliation with NYC Children’s Services and their Satterwhite Training Academy. The What's New Blog congratulates the Wurzweiler faculty for their on-going efforts to promote excellence in child welfare practice.
(Thanks to Carmen Hendricks, Assoc. Dean, for this post.)

WSSW Prof Pimpare Discusses Poverty on GRITTV

2009-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

On March 25, internet personality Laura Flanders interviewed Wurzweiler Proff Stephen Pimpare about his new book, A People's History of Poverty, which was published on November 17 by the New Press, as part of an American history series edited by Howard Zinn.

Here's how Flanders introduced the segment:

The Unites States has historically done a pretty bad job of taking care of its poor. And the record, in the last few decades, has only gotten worse. Before Obama entered office we spoke to Stephen Pimpare, the author of A People's History of Poverty in America. He had high hopes for Obama at the time. What would he say after the first few months?

WSSW Common Day Explores Economic Crisis

2009-03-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, March 18th, Wurzweiler School of Social Work's faculty and students joined together for their annual Common Day to explore the topic of Hope in the Midst of Crisis: Social Work in Action.

Common Day is a collaborative effort between a committee of faculty and student members that was created over 7 years ago in response to 9/11 as a means of furthering a sense of community at Wurzweiler during a time of collective crisis. Today, Common Day maintains its commitment to community-building by bringing social issues of common concern to the awareness of both the faculty and student body. This year, the topic focused on the profound impact the financial crisis in America is having on the clients and the communities that social workers serve.

Students viewed a short excerpt from "60 Minutes" that highlighted the experience of a company in Wilmington, Ohio, that employed most of the townspeople, and had to begin laying them off. This was followed with in-depth table discussions between faculty and students involving analysis, brainstorming, and policy planning.

Common Day will be followed by a day of social action to benefit the community of Washington Heights. More about this to come.
(Thanks to Lynn Levy & CBS News)

Ceremonial Violence is Topic for Toronto Alum Bookgroup

2009-03-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

Professor Jonathan Fast and Alumni Coordinator Mark Miller traveled to Canada on March 8th to speak to WSSW Toronto alumnae who have started a social work themed book-group. Gracious hosts Roslyn Schultz, Class of '72, and her husband, Ben, offered their home as a meeting place, refreshments, and a welcoming atmosphere. Dr. Fast read from his new book, Ceremonial Violence, The Psychological Explanation of School Shootings, and led a lively discussion.

Toronto alums who are interested in socializing with other like-minded graduates, joining the book-group, or just bringing us up to date on their activities are invited to contact Mark at (212) 813-0572 or email him at cmMiller@yu.edu.

JQYouth Panel Speaks at Lunch-and-Learn

2009-03-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, March 4, Wurzweiler's Student Goverment brought back JQYouth for a lunch and learn program. JQYouth are a social/support group made up of Orthodox gay, bi, trans and lesbian Jews between the ages of 17 and 30.

In addition to providing information about their backgrounds and experiences as gay Orthodox Jews (in particular their experiences of "coming-out" to their families and friends,) the presenters discussed therapeutic strategies for working with gay individuals.

(Thanks to Jay Sweifach)

Food Drive Big Success -- Donations Still Needed!

2009-03-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

The WSSW food-bank, the work of our social action committee, continues to thrive. We have already distributed more than 16 boxes of food to the Washington Heights community. This project will continue throughout the semester and all donations of non-spoilable foods and toiletries are welcomed.

Please drop off off food and toiletries in boxes located on the 8th and 9th floors of Belfer Hall.

A special thank you to those of you who have already generously given to this food drive!

--The Social Action Committee
(Catherine Cassidy, guest editor & photographer)

Jobs in Social work: Wurzweiler School of Social Work Hosts Informational Panel

2009-03-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

Like everyone else in today's troubled economy, students at Wurzweiler School of Social Work are wondering about their job opportunities.

On Wednesday, February 25th, Wurzweiler hosted an informational panel with representatives from six social service agencies that serve clients in the metropolitan New York area:

The panel was very well attended. Students learned how they can market themselves in a challenging environment. The panelists offered 'straight' talk that included some helpful hints about how to be flexible in this market and how to utilize their skills to re-envision their roles in the workplace. The agencies all reported that they would be hiring and accepted resumes from many grateful students.
(Thanks to guest editor, Lynn Levy)

Palliative Care Leadership Conference at Wurzweiler

2009-02-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

On December 5, 2008, Wurzweiler convened a half-day conference on “Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Care: The Emerging Landscape.” One hundred fifty social work practitioners and students joined us for the first New York-region conference dedicated to the growing roles of social workers in palliative care.

Coordinated by Gary Stein, JD, MSW, Associate Professor at Wurzweiler, and Grace Christ, DSW, Professor at Columbia School of Social Work, the program examined this newly developing practice arena for social workers. Panels explored the state-of-the art in practice, highlighted by observations from Frances Heller, MSW and WSSW alumnus, a member of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center’s palliative care team. Other speakers explored policy developments, such as the new palliative care credential, a joint project of NASW and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization; and the recent federal regulations for hospice social work. Researchers focused on innovative findings – challenges faced by family decision-makers and their needs for professional support, cross-cultural concerns, and experiences of caregivers in families with histories of physical or sexual abuse.

The program showcased the new Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Care Network (www.swhpn.org), a national professional association seeking to advance a social work agenda for palliative care that is led by the conference coordinators. SWHPN is sponsoring a one-day program on March 25, 2009 at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine’s annual conference in Austin, Texas. Building on the themes from the Wurzweiler meeting, the Austin program will include panels promoting social work leadership, ethical practices, evidence-based approaches, and family conferencing skills. More information on this program can be found at http://www.aahpm.org/education/conf/geninfo.html.

4 WSSW Students Attend Graduate Seminar in Israel

2009-02-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

Four Wurzweiler MSW/Jewish Communal Service students joined six other graduate students from Columbia University and NYU on an intensive ten-day seminar to Israel this January. The students were offered a unique study program to learn first-hand about Israel’s social services system and the challenges Israel faces in delivering an array of services to its most vulnerable and embattled populations. The seminar, coordinated by Lyn Light Geller of UJA-Federation and Professor Saul Andron, also delved into the changing roles of the voluntary and government sectors in Israel, evolving models of relationships between Israel and Diaspora communities and the implications of declining Diaspora philanthropy to meet human needs of the Israeli population.

The seminar fell right in the midst of the Gaza War taking place in the south of Israel. Though Jerusalem was quiet, and the group was relatively far from the front, the students met with representatives of key agencies responding to the emergency needs facing the civilian population in the battle zone. Special sessions were arranged with senior professionals of the Israel Trauma Coalition, a coordinating agency launched by the UJA-Federation of New York, which was actively engaged in mobilizing professional and volunteer assistance to the civilian population in the south. Other organizations, such as Yididim, an organization for immigrant at risk children, with service centers in the south, had implemented innovative and creative strategies to continue service to their various client groups. The group also had the privilege to go to the Avi Chai Foundation facility in Jerusalem where a special day of fun activities and a concert with some of Israel’s top music stars, was organized for residents from the south. These children, parents and teachers were bussed to Jerusalem for one precious day to get away from the constant shell fire, the sheer terror and fear of being in a war zone to relax and enjoy, to smile, and to know they were not forsaken.

Seminar participants agreed that this was a particularly poignant and emotional time for them which brought home the horrors of war and constant conflict. Maureen Melcer, Wurzweiler PEP student, remarked that "the unique experiences this trip offered gave me a new appreciation for Israel. Being in Israel during a time of great political unrest and seeing first hand the ways in which this young country mobilizes itself to take care of its people during a crisis is truly inspiring. I walked away from the trip with new friends, colleagues, and a renewed sense of pride for my work in the Jewish community."

During the seminar the students visited many social service and advocacy agencies, interacted with an array of clients, non-profit agency professionals and academic experts, and tackled a plethora of issues and topics facing the not-for-profit sector in Israel today. Site visits to the Jerusalem Battered Women’s Shelter, Jaffa Institute for underprivileged children, Amcha, a support center for Holocaust survivors, numerous programs for youth at risk, and absorption programs targeting young and adult Ethiopian immigrants, helped to enlighten the students about service strategies to meet needs of specific target groups. Seminar sessions, both formal presentations and site visits, exposed the students to the distinct and sometimes overlapping roles and services of the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC Israel) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the two funding partner agencies in Israel of North American Jewish federations.

Sessions with knowledgeable and veteran non-profit sector and Jewish community experts were particularly illuminating. These included meetings with Dr. Jack Habib, director of the JDC Myers Brookdale Institute; Dr. Hillel Schmid, director of the Hebrew University Center for the Study of Philanthropy in Israel; Avraham Infeld, former Executive Director of the Chase Family Foundation in Israel and seasoned Jewish/Zionist educator; and Ralph Goldman, outstanding long-time member of the American and International Jewish community and honorary Executive Vice-President of JDC. Their dynamic presentations created a picture of the evolving not-for-profit sector in Israel, the changing dynamics of American and Israeli-based philanthropy, the growing privatization of human services delivery in Israel and the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for Jewish communal professionals.

The seminar to Israel stimulated many questions among participants and challenged them to grapple with issues concerning the connection between Diaspora Jews and Israel, the new challenges of Jewish peoplehood and the changing roles of Jewish communal professionals in relation to Israel. The experience provided insight and guidance into the workings of the Jewish communal field, and especially to social work practice, and how to implement such a knowledge base into our own future work. Matt Dunn, Wurzweiler Concurrent student, remarked that “as a result of the mission, I have a more well rounded knowledge base regarding the social issues within Israeli society. Learning and interacting with other students in Israel is an experience that every student should have.”

Thanks to Jeana Beneson, WSSW student, for authoring this web post.

WSSW Proffs Help Students Deal with Complex Issues Around Madoff Fraud

2008-12-23T09:59:00.001-08:00

Two Wurzweiler faculty were recently featured in a front page story in the New York Times. Times reporter Javier Hernandez interviewed Rabbi Linzer about his Jewish Social Philosophy class to see how this experienced professor helped his class deal with the complex emotions they were experiencing regarding Bernard Madoff.

Federal prosecutors have charged Mr. Madoff with orchestrating a 50 billion dollar fraud that numbered, among its victims, various Jewish institutions, synagogues and schools, including Yeshiva University.

...The students in Rabbi Linzer's class last week wrestled with the headlines and their emotions. Some said Mr. Madoff's religious affiliation was irrelevant; others worried that his Judaism might tarnish their own, that outside eyes would not be able to see past his faith.

Professor Lynn Levy was also interviewed by Hernandez. She described how she had her class...

...dissect the Madoff case through the lens of trust last week. Questions flew through the room: If we cannot trust business, why trust government? Will people be more skeptical of the Jewish community? How do we rebuild confidence in us?
R ead the New York Times article.

Jewish Communal Service Students Host Reboot Leader

2008-12-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

The Jewish Communal Certificate Program recently hosted Amelia Klein, Field Director at Reboot for a Lunch and Learn. Reboot, a six year old avant-garde Jewish organization, is committed to revitalizing Jewish traditions and culture and providing an outlet for unaffiliated yet identified young Jews.

Amelia spoke informally to a mixed group of certificate and non-certificate students about the inception of Reboot in 2002 with a summit, or “open space” for Jews of all backgrounds to come together and discuss what is out there for Generation Y Jews.

Reboot now boasts several divisions including a published magazine, Guilt & Pleasure, a record label, Reboot Stereophonic, which releases revitalized Jewish music, and holds “Do It Yourself” parlors throughout the country which are open arenas that invite all Jews to discuss, debate, and celebrate all things that are Jewish.

Reboot has also been a part of several data collection studies including, “Grande Soy Vanilla Latte with Cinnamon, No Foam…” Jewish Identity and Community in a Time of Unlimited Choices. This study, among others, proves Reboot’s mission to a tee. Young Jews throughout the nation are not looking to affiliate in the ways of our grandparents, or even our parents. Generation Yers seek a no strings attached attitude that will allow them to express their Jewishness in ways that are comfortable – through music, art, and social gatherings, which is precisely what Reboot provides. Reboot receives funding from the Charles and Andrea Bronfman Foundation along with several private foundations.

Amelia described Reboot as a “catalyst for catalysts” in that it allows prominent members of various artist communities to network among each other and return to their own hubs with new ideas to inspire and connect.

The session was intriguing and further reinforced the ideas that certificate students have been learning in both first and second year classes; that the nature of the Jewish community is changing and it is our job as new, Jewish communal professionals to keep up with these changes and develop new creative strategies to connect young Jews to Jewish life.

(Thanks to Chana Topek, our guest editor)

WSSW Students Blog About Their Experience in New Orleans

2008-12-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of December, Professor Saul Andron took the students in the Jewish Communal Service program on a field trip to New Orleans, to speak with members of the Jewish Community about their ongoing efforts to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The trip made a deep impression on them all, as is apparent in the following account by Ira Gubenko, a JCS student.

Working for the Jewish community in Ukraine, I have participated in many trainings and seminars. However, I have never experienced such a touching, educational and well-organized one. During the seminar we met different people: the president of Jewish Federation and his wife, executive director of Jewish Family Service, various Jewish citizens of New-Orleans, and many others. Although all these people were different, they were strongly connected by the catastrophe that had happened in New Orleans and they all had a story to share. Conversing and listening to them was an amazing experience for me since I come from a country where sharing of emotions is considered to be almost shameful.

Read more student accounts on their blog.

Distinguished Alums Tell Students About Their Paths to Success

2008-11-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

On the evening of November 19, over 150 students crowded into the Belfer Commons to hear alumnae from Wurzweiler School of Social Work talk about their transition from being students to becoming leaders in the national social work community. The evening, organized by student government (SGA), was also another opportunity for the entire Wurzweiler community to join together, for students in different programs and schedules to get know one another, faculty and administration.

Erica Liebowitz, the current SGA president, welcomed attendees. She spoke about the many activities of the SGA, such as creating programming--including the popular Lunch 'n Learn series--lobbying, organizing and engaging in community service, and providing "a clearinghouse for concerns from students and answers from administrators."

Dean Sheldon Gelman introduced Sarah Kaplan, the Community Organiing and Policy intern at the New York chapter of the NASW, who encouraged everyone in the assembly to join the NASW!

Nancy Doniger, from Columbia University School of Social Work and Justine Freitas, from Hunter College School of Social Work, talked about the Undoing Racism Project.

Next Mark Miller, our alumni director, introduced our distinguished guest speakers. Here are some excerpts from his introductions:

Irwin Lenefsky, a native of New York is an active duty Army Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) with over 21 years of active service. In 1985, he obtained a MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University and Rabbinical Ordination from the Theological Seminary at YU. He holds a Ph.D. from Catholic University in Washington.

Lawrence Caplan graduated from WSSW in 2006. He immediately started working at Esperanza, which (at that time) was a pilot program for the Vera Institute for Justice. Esperanza is an alternative to incarceration program for youth. He provides home-based individual and family counseling to court mandated youth and their families. In addition to his role at Esperanza, for the past year he has been a volunteer with the National Association of Social Worker’s New Professionals Task Force Steering Committee.

Arlene Peller has had a private practice since graduating from WSSW. She has also been a clinical supervisor and director of an alcohol and drug treatment facility for women, as well as, an adjunct teacher at Montclair State University and Bloomfield College. She is married, with three married children and seven grandchildren.

Manoj Pardasani is a graduate of both the MSW and Ph.D. program at Wurzweiler. He began his career in social work as a teenager living Bombay, India, where he organized a group of friends to volunteer their time and resources and created a literacy program for homeless and/or orphaned children. The program expanded rapidly and in a few years they served nearly a hundred children utilizing the services of 250 volunteers. For the last 10 years, he has worked as a social work practitioner in diverse fields and settings such as senior centers, group homes for the developmentally delayed, community mental health centers and homelessness/HIV/AIDS-related social services. In 2006, he was chosen as Social Work of the Year by the Indiana State Chapter of NASW. He is currently on the faculty at Fordham University.

Wurzweiler Prof Pontificates at Summer Symposium in Oxford

2008-08-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler Professor Jonathan Fast was one of 22 academics from around the world invited to the annual Oxford Symposium at Brasenose College in Oxford, England. Dr. Fast presented a paper called The School System From Hell, a reference to the school district of North-Western Alaska and how its' embedded racism toward the local indigenous cultures, the Yup’iks and the Athbaskans, and structured inequality of services was one of the factors contributing to a school rampage shooting by Evan Ramsey in 1997. The paper was adapted by Dr. Fast from his book Ceremonial Violence: the Psychologicl Explanation for School Shootings, which will be published in September by the Overlook Press.

The five day event, organized by University of San Franciso's Center for Family and Child Development, began on August 10^th. Twenty-two attendees from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, China, and the Phillipines, presented papers on topics at the cutting edge of school based health and family therapy. During their free time, attendees explored Oxford’s narrow streets, marveled at the architecture, or practiced punting on the Thames.

Jewish Communal Certificate Students Explore the Kehillah Partnership at The Bergen County JCC

2008-07-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Dr. Harold Benus, Executive Director of the Bergen County YJCC, in New Jersey, had an idea. Why not create a network of synagogue congregants who pay one fee for membership at a synagogue of their choice, and automatically gain access to programming at the Bergen County Y. Strengthen the Jewish community and save money at the same time. The Kehillah Partnership, he decided to call it.

When Dr. Saul Andron, director of the Certificate in Jewish Communal Service program heard about it, he decided it would be a perfect field trip for certificate students who were attending the summer Block program.

After a tour of the newly renovated facility, Dr. Benus and his staff (including Steven Mark, WSSW ‘08/Certificate in Jewish Communal Service), and the immediate past president of the agency described how they had developed the Kehillah Partnership and the experience during the pilot phase. Students learned firsthand about the challenges and complexities of this new collaborative model.

Dr. Benus acknowledged that the JCC movement is “not well” and that many JCCs haven’t adapted successfully to the changing needs and interests of individual Jews and families. He explained that there is fierce competition in the marketplace to attract members for leisure-time activities and that the entire Jewish communal system is experiencing cutbacks due to declining philanthropic support. With synagogues being the primary portal for many Jewish families and the one fee for multiple services model as the driving strategy, Dr. Benus hopes that community members will find the Kehillah Partnership an affordable way to participate in Jewish communal life.

Thanks to Rachel Neuman, our guest editor.

Two WSSW Students Present at Research Conference

2008-05-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Two Wurzweiler students, Lara Bolsom and Wendy Schudrich, presented posters at the annual Behavioral Science Research Day conference, co-sponsored by the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and the Institute of Public Health Sciences. The conference took place on the 15th of May, on the campus of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Laurie J Bauman, Ph.D., a sociologist and Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was the guest speaker.

Ms. Schudrich used survey techniques to measure job satisfaction among 434 urban child welfare workers. She found that while most of the workers did not regret their career choice, child abuse prevention had not been their first preference. More than half the respondents had thought about leaving their jobs in the previous year, but more than 75 percent intended to stay. The four factors associated with looking for employment were contingent rewards, satisfaction with the nature of the work, pay, and perceptions of child welfare, in that order.

Ms. Bolsom presented a single-system research design that she had developed in Social Work Research and Evaluation (SWK 6401), a required course for all MSW students. She measured the efficacy of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) on a 29 year old female complaining of excessive negative thoughts. Using standard scales and a client log, she demonstrated that her own practice was effective in reducing the occurrence of negative thoughts for the client.

Shana Chaikin Talks about Sexual Abuse Advocacy

2008-04-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

On April 2nd, students and faculty members heard Shana Chaikin, a survivor of sexual assault at the age of 16, speak about her advocacy work for CONNSACS (Connecticut Sexual Assault Crime Services). Connecticut is currently one of several states that has recognized the importance of working with both the offenders and the victims and has developed a full range of comprehensive programs and services addressing both the immediate and long-term needs for survivors of sexual assault.

Shana began her discussion with a moving description of her own assault and the long and difficult journey of her own healing, including some of the complex issues that she has personally confronted over the past 15 years. Her commitment to advocacy work began over 9 years ago when Shana became involved with SAVVI (Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative), a not-for-profit advocacy agency affiliated with Mount Sinai Hospital. She became an advocate for women who had come to the emergency room for treatment right after their assaults. From there, Shana went on to become a spokesperson for SAVVI, training others to become advocates for sexually abused women. She now sits on the board of SAVVI and facilitates school-based workshops that raise awareness and consciousness for young adolescents. Her current work with CONNSACS involves working directly with the victims, but also acting as the ‘voice’ of the victims with the perpetrators in groups and court proceedings. Shana described some of the professional confidentiality conflicts that she confronts regularly as well as the transference and counter-transference issues that occur for her. She is a strong advocate for supervision and agency support for workers who are confronting ethically challenging issues in the workplace. Wurzweiler hopes to welcome back Shana Chaikin at a future date.

Can Mikvah Attendants Spot Abuse? Sweifach & LaPorte say "Yes!"

2008-04-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Jay Sweifach and Dr. Heidi Heft LaPorte are conducting research investigating the extent to which mikvah (ritual bath) attendents recognize and respond to cases of domestic violence. Sweifach and LaPorte believe that Mikvah attendants are in a unique position to respond to domestic violence, in that they are responsible for checking women before they immerse in the water and may see evidence of abuse. The researchers believe that attendents can be trained to spot abuse, and preliminary findings suggest that some attendents have already been trained to do so. The researchers believe that findings from the research can be used to refine and develop protocols that can assist mikvah attendants in enhancing their role as front line responders to domestic violence and other types of abuse.

Rabbi Tessler Speaks to Ethics Class & Student Lunch

2008-04-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Joel Tessler, WSSW class of '83, recently returned to Yeshiva University, first to speak to at an ethics class taught by Rabbi Norman Linzer, PhD, who is himself a renowned authority on social work ethics, and then to address the student body in a Lunch & Learn talk titled The Social Worker, the Rabbi, the Struggle.

"A rabbi is trained to answer questions posed to him. He is the final authority for the members of his community. A social worker is trained to listen to his/her client. He/she is a facilitator to enable the client to discover the path on which to travel. When people come to an orthodox rabbi, they expect him to have a definite opinions and preconceived conclusions regarding many issues based upon the Jewish law halacha). People come to social workers expecting them to have a open mind and tune into where the client is at. Despite the tensions, conflicts and values inherent in the demands of the different professions, the MSW is an invaluable set of skills which does enhance the counseling challenges and demands confronting today's rabbi and the clergy in general."
--Rabbi Tessler

Jewish Certificate Program Offers Seminars in Financial Resource Development

2008-04-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

If one program is attracting a lot of buzz this year, it's the Certificate in Jewish Communal Service program, under the capable direction of Saul Andron. Dr. Andron seems tireless in his efforts to make this program exceptional!

This month students working toward the certificate attended the first of a series of Financial Resource Development Seminars, four three-hour seminars on the nuts-and-bolts of running successful capital campaigns, writing proposals, building relationships with donors, and establishing planned-giving programs and endowments: the kind of subjects one normally associates with a business school rather than a school of social work.

Dr. Andron told the "What's New" blog...

Today’s Jewish non-profits face increasing competition for donor support and loyalty. Professionals will be expected to generate financial resources for their organizations. Jewish communal professionals are going to have to build FRD into their professional skills set.

Each seminar features an experienced senior professional from Yeshiva University’s Department of Institutional Advancement. For the first seminar, Daniel T. Forman, Yeshiva University's Vice President for Institutional Advancement, provided insights about fund-raising for a major university.

Panel Discusses Dilemma of Homosexuals in the Orthodox Jewish Community

2008-03-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

On March 5, members of JQ Youth, a support group for young gay and lesbian religious Jews, addressed a packed conference to talk about what and who helped them come to terms with their plight as active members of a community which opposes their sexual preference.

Guest speakers, Chasya, Justin, and Mordechai, described their experiences consulting with rabbis, social workers, and therapists throughout the years as they tried to reconcile being both gay and Orthodox. Some of these encounters were extremely frustrating and hurtful, ending with rejection or condemnation. Those that were more fruitful took place when their advisors employed social work skills and sensitivities.

For example, a turning point in Justin’s life came when an Orthodox rabbi, while not sanctioning homosexuality, talked with Justin about possible life paths he might take as a gay, Jewishly observant man.

After the presentation, Dr. Norman Linzer, who teaches Values and Ethics, noted that those who were able to help Chasya, Justin, and Mordechai, “acted as good social workers, starting where the client was at, with the situation that was presented to them.”

The seminar was organized by Glenn Taylor, ’08.

Thanks to Robert Liebowitz for this post.

Student Forum on Internet Practice

2008-03-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered about the opportunities for social workers to use their practice and organizational skills through the Internet? While the Internet has revolutionized professional and social discourse in recent years, little attention has been given to how new technologies can be integrated into practice.

On March 19th, the faculty Bioethics Committee and the Student Government Association sponsored “Social Work Ethics and Technology Practice,” to illustrate innovative strategies and the special ethical dilemmas such practices may create. This mini-conference was offered free to all Wurzweiler students along with a buffet lunch (kosher, naturally!)

Prof. Gary Stein, chair of the Bioethics Committee, moderated a panel that included:

Richard Hara, MSSW, Ph.D., who directs Cancer Care’s on-line services, including a message board, supportive “chat” among group members, and information and referral.

Elizabeth Zelvin, LCSW, a clinical social worker who has counseled clients from around the world since 2000 through her website, http://www.lzcybershrink.com/.

David Wasserman, JD, MA, the Director of Research for the Center for Ethics at Yeshiva University, who asked prodding questions to highlight ethical and practice concerns.

Discussion reinforced the value of the Internet as yet another powerful intervention for helping clients, especially clients who may be challenged by traditional face-to-face strategies because of distance, illness, or disability. Service is also enhanced for clients who prefer using the “narrative” to communicate, or who may benefit from services that can be provided at any time or place. Clients may appreciate being able to review their social worker’s words whenever support would be helpful. However, ethical concerns, such as confidentiality and security, are ever-present. In addition, new territory is being charted here. Which jurisdiction’s licensing laws govern technology practice, where the social worker is based or where the client receives the message? The regulation of Internet practices is a new concern, and one that will debated in the upcoming years as a growing number of professionals enter this practice arena and as the technology further evolves.

Organizational Structure of the American Jewish Community Course Goes Real-time Big-time

2008-03-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

What better way to learn about the history, development, and organizational dynamics of a growing Jewish community than by partnering with it!

Case in point: the Jewish community of Atlanta Georgia, a community which has grown in population by over 60% in the past decade and now ranks as the 11th largest Jewish community in North America.

This Fall, students working for their certificate in Jewish Communal Services contracted with the Greater Atlanta Jewish Federation to examine historical, demographic and Jewish engagement trends and developments, as well as the organizational structure of this community.

Students were provided access to federation planning and governance reports, financial resource development plans, and the data of the recent population study. Phone mentoring sessions were held between students and senior professionals of the federation, where the dynamics of change were closely investigated and strategies for serving the community brain-stormed.

But the highlight of the process was the private face-to-face meeting with the Greater Atlanta Jewish Federation delegation to the United Jewish Communities annual General Assembly, which took place this past November in Nashville, TN. Certificate students heard presentations from the chief volunteer and professional officers of the Federation about the community and its needs and challenges. The students engaged members of the delegation in lively small groups, after which they met separately with the professionals of the federation to discuss job and career opportunities in Atlanta.

Upon return from Nashville, the students completed the assigned written projects and collaborated on a final document about their impressions of the community and their experience working with the Federation. The final product was submitted to the professional leadership of the Federation and was received with great appreciation and enthusiasm. As noted by the Federation’s chief professional officer Steve Rackitt:

I have read all of the material. Please express my admiration and appreciation to the students who worked on the Atlanta project. The overview papers were excellent and I was particularly impressed with the Impressions and Recommendations document. The observations were astute and recommendations excellent. We are implementing many of them already, and I was truly impressed with the fact that the students are sitting 1,000 miles away, yet were able to capture some of the most important challenges and issues facing our community, structure and direction.

Thanks to Dr. Saul Andron for this post!

Wurzweiler Students Visit Ghana

2008-03-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler students Oluwole Akinkunmi, Maria Cruz, Jennifer Shapell and Faith Lawrence are Fellows with the Children of the World Community Program/ Immigration Project based at the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). The goal of the project is to prepare MSW social work students for leadership roles in child welfare and for culturally competent, neighborhood-based, approaches to practice with immigrant families.

During winter recess, these students were involved in a unique learning experience as part of their field experiences. They participated in a study abroad intercession course at The University of Ghana in West Africa, where they had an enriching and rewarding cultural experience.

While in Ghana, the students toured the Elmina Slave Castle, visited the Ghana Department of Social Welfare and attended lectures at the University of Ghana. Each student conducted field work in separate field placements in the OSU Orphanage located in a suburb of Accra, the West African Aids Foundation (WAAF), and the OSU Children’s Home (a group home for abandoned and neglected youth).

In these field placements the students learned skills that will enable them to better serve the immigrant families they are working with. The importance of empathy, the need to overcome resource shortages, and the challenge to provide vital assistance are just some of the issues which the students confronted.

Wurzweiler Mourns Distinguished Alumna

2008-03-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

Joan K. Parry, DSW, ACSW, LCSW, passed away the morning of January 9th in La Jolla, California, from lung and liver cancer. A Native New Yorker, she had been a resident of the San Diego area for the past twenty-five years. She was a prolific author and a beloved colleague, serving on the national board of the NASW. She received her bachelors from Columbia University, her MSW from Adelphi and her DSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work.

Read her obituary in NASW Foundation Blog
Read her obituary in the Mercury News.

Professors Beckerman and Auerbach Involved in Large Scale HIV/AIDS Research Project

2008-03-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Harlem Directors Group has joined with Wurzweiler Professors Nancy Beckerman and Charles Auerbach in a research study to identify patterns of compliance and non-compliance with HIV/AIDS prevention strategies. The study will be conducted in Northern Manhattan communities where HIV/AIDS is common and its effects, devastating. More than 30 community agencies will be included, providing an unprecedented opportunity to identify sociocultural obstacles to compliance with the CDC recommended HIV prevention interventions.

The strategies being investigated are those described in the Compendium of HIV Prevention Interventions with Evidence of Effectiveness, a database created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to requests from prevention service providers, planners, and others who have requested science-based interventions that work.

Wurz Wins Grant, Snags Student Stipends

2008-02-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

Wurzweiler has been awarded a three-year grant that enables it to expand its emphasis on social work and gerontology. Funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation and managed by the New York Academy of Medicine, the program is The Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education. Its innovation is in building partnerships between universities and community agencies that offer students hands-on and varied experiences caring for older adults across a range of settings. The funding awards stipends to MSW students whose career interests are in working with older persons. Students selected for the stipends will participate in a rotational model of field practice, working with a variety of older populations.

Community agencies partnering with WSSW in the program are:

The Bronx Jewish Community Council
Fort Washington Housing and Services for Older Persons
The Jewish Community Relations Council
The Jewish Home and Hospital
New York City Housing Court

Wurzweiler Partnership Program students will spend their second year field internship in two of these agencies, getting to know different service systems and experiencing the diversity found among older persons.

The grant will enable Wurzweiler to offer additional forums focused on aging in the form of seminars, video presentations, and lunch and learn programs, for the benefit of all students. As a Hartford Partnership Program grantee, the school joins over 60 other schools of social work nationwide which are united in their goal of graduating gerontological social workers to meet the social service needs of older persons and their families.

Profs Strolin-Goltzman, Auerbach & Bonuck Investigate SBHCs

2008-02-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

School based-health centers (SBHCs) are one of the most dynamic innovations in health and education in recent years.

John Schlitt, executive director of the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, recently told met with congressional staffers to bring them up to date on SBHC's.

School-based health centers were born of a movement to bridge health and education with the explicit objective of keeping school-aged children and youth healthy so that they experience the fewest possible barriers to learning. In a time of crisis, school-based health centers take their work a step further to respond to individual, school and community needs.

Whether it’s an extremely public crisis etched in our collective consciousness with grim detail, or the silent crisis of anxiety and depression among our youth, school-based health centers provide some of the basic tools to ensure student success by keeping young people strong, healthy and able to learn(Read all of the capitol hill briefing on SBHCs).

But exactly how affective are SBHCs? To find out, three members of Wurzweiler's research faculty, Professors Jessica Strolin-Goltzman, Charles Auerbach, and Karen Bonuck (also on the faculty of Albert Einstein College of Medicine) are undertaking a city-wide evaluation of SBHCs. Strolin-Goltzman described the process in a note to What's New at Wurzweiler:

The project will be divided into two phases. In phase one, the evaluation team will catalogue the availability and utilization of health related programs and services in school based health centers (SBHC) in NYC. The team will also complete a retrospective quasi experimental study of the impact of SBHCs on the learning environment.

Phase two of the study will collect primary data in SBHC schools and non SBHC schools to investigate the impact of SBHC on overall school climate and teacher satisfaction.

Mason & Clemans Propose Group Model for Rape Survivors

2008-02-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

The current issue of Affilia includes an article by faculty members Susan Mason and Shanti Clemans titled, Participatory research for rape survivors groups: A model for practice.

The article describes how a participatory research model can help the healing process for rape survivors. The article explains how research oriented groups can be structured to document each member's survival experience in a format that can benefit future rape survivors, and move the group towards empowerment and growth.

Click here for the citation and abstract, or here to purchase a copy of the article from Sage.

Wurz Prof Pollack Book on Adoption

2007-12-07T13:32:00.001-08:00

Lyceum Books is publishing Adoption in the United States: A Reference for Families, Professionals and Students, by Wurzweiler professor, Daniel Pollack.

This outstanding reference work provides information about adoptions for each state and will be a suitable resource for graduate-level students, professionals, and parents.

More about Adoption in the United States

Wurzweiler Proffs Visit Cuba, Study Health Care

2007-12-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Drs. Susan Mason, David Strug and Joan Beder, faculty at Wurzweiler, have just returned from Cuba where they are working on a book on that country’s health care system.

The book, Community Health Care in Cuba: An Enduring Model will be published in 2008. It focuses on Cuba’s unique integrated health care system and examines health care at the local community level using an ecological perspective. Each chapter is grounded in data collected and analyzed by the authors themselves and is written by highly respected professionals in the health field and in the social sciences who either live in Cuba or who have traveled often to that country.

The authors have interviewed numerous officials of the Cuban government and have visited the homes of Cuban women and men to learn how their health system serves the people at the community level.

Dr. Mason told the What's New blog:

The Cuban health system has its flaws, but it is known internationally for its effectiveness while utilizing limited resources. There may be important lessons we can learn from them to improve our delivery of health services.

Any trip to Cuba is an exciting and powerful experience and this trip was no exception with interesting interviews and meaningful exchanges with Cuban heath care experts.

Richard Joel Addresses Jewish Communal, Education Grad Students on Leadership

2007-12-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday, November 28, Yeshiva University president Richard M. Joel spoke candidly to students and faculty in the Jewish Communal Service Certificate program of the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration about leadership and organizational change.

Joel opened the discussion with a reflection on the lessons he learned as associate dean of Cardozo Law School, president and international director of Hillel, and his current position as president of Yeshiva University. Joel began bluntly enough:

I don’t believe in change, and I don’t believe in institutions. What I do believe in is G-d, civilization, and the destiny of the Jewish people. It is very easy to get caught up in helping to save or preserve an institution and forget that the institution itself is there to serve a higher purpose. I believe in change not for the sake of change, but rather for the sake of something else, something greater. Whenever you are involved in change, you must ask yourself where it is that you want to go.

Joel pointed out that many who are involved in organizational change are sometimes too quick to “act frantically,” without properly thinking through where it is that they want the organizational to go and what purposes they want it to serve. As an example, Joel referred back to his experiences when taking over the helm of Hillel, the college campus Jewish organization. He recounted some of the resistance he first encountered, both from Hillel rabbis who were satisfied with the small but strong core group of interested Jewish students and who didn’t care to extend their influence to the larger unaffiliated Jewish student body, as well as the mostly elderly board members of B’nai B’rith, Hillel’s funding organization, who initially distrusted Joel’s Orthodox Jewish affiliation.

In responding to these challenges, Joel began his tenure at Hillel by framing a clear and compelling mission, stating that their goal was to “maximize the number of Jews doing Jewish with other Jews.” With this mission in mind, Joel then forged an implementation strategy to introduce changes to “engage Jews where they are at,” such as forming Jewish a capella groups, refurbishing old 1950s-era Hillel buildings, and expanding the qualification requirements of campus Hillel directors to include not only rabbis but also those who were impassioned, though non-ordained, educators.

Under Joel’s tenure from 1988 to 2002, Hillel grew from a $13 million enterprise to one with a budget of $60 million, forming partnerships with other organizations and attracting philanthropists such as Edgar Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt. President Joel also emphasized the importance of evaluation and clear metrics to measure progress of the change process, thereby providing feedback for mid-course corrections and for developing new initiatives. Joel also reflected on the challenges and potential pitfalls of leadership, noting that leadership is lonely at the end of the day, since it is the leader alone who “stays up at night worrying about the problems of the institution.” Such loneliness can lead to self-righteousness, he noted, as the leader begins to think of himself as a martyr for his work. To combat this potential snare, Joel emphasized the necessity of “having a life,” and centering one’s energies in one’s family.

Throughout his address, Joel continually referred to the love, guidance and support of his wife, Esther, who was present during part of his talk, and he spoke with pride of his six children (three of whom have followed his footsteps into Jewish educational and communal work). In fact, Joel stated that the hardest part of his work has been being away from his wife and family as he travels throughout the country. Joel concluded by emphasizing the importance of Jewish communal work today, pointing out that the old reasons for being Jewish—nostalgia, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust—have largely fallen away, leaving many Jews searching for new reasons to remain true to their heritage. Yet, he also encouraged those involved in such work to develop a sense of humility, which he clearly displayed himself throughout his talk.

I view the work I do much like my wife and I view the role of parents. To be successful as a parent, you need to do everything right—and then you still need mazel [luck]! Similarly, in your careers, you need to work hard, and even after that, there is still no assurance that things will work out.

Still, it was clear to those present that for Joel they did, with the myriad contributions he has made upon Jewish life in last few decades. And with his typical candor, honesty, humor, passion and enthusiasm, students left inspired that their future efforts and work might similarly bear fruit.

Thanks to Robert Liebowitz for this post

Professor Gary Stein Delivers RAND Report, Coordinates Leadership Conference for Newly Formed Palliative Care Network

2007-11-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Wurzweiler Prof Gary Stein has been consulting to the RAND Corporation this past year. At a national invitational forum on advance care planning held in Washington in October, he reported on his analysis of research and outreach materials on advance care planning and directives for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. This informed a broader focus on advance care planning that also considered legal approaches and public engagement. The outcomes of this meeting are a report of recommendations for federal policymakers on advance care planning that will be submitted next year to the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services and to Congress (under a statute requesting a report to Congress on this issue).

In a second project, Stein and Grace Christ, a colleague from Columbia Univerity School of Social Work, have been coordinating a day-long leadership conference for social workers conducting practice or research in palliative care or hospice to be held on January 30, 2008 in Tampa, FL, prior to the annual conference of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Support from the Academy will allow social workers to attend the one-day program at no charge. Christ & Stein are chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the newly formed Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network.

Interested in attending the SWHPN free pre-conference? Registration information here.

Wurzweiler Students Descend on Nashville for the Annual United Jewish Communities General Assembly

2007-11-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

Between November 11th and 13th, 17 Wurzweiler students had the privilege to be among the nearly 4,000 participants at the United Jewish Communities’ General Assembly. Under the theme of “One People, One Destiny,” the GA, held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, looked to tackle a myriad of challenges facing the organized Jewish community in North America, including:

changing trends of philanthropy,
Israel advocacy,
and promoting, nurturing and cultivating the involvement and emergence of tomorrow’s Jewish leaders.

This last concept--celebrating new and younger leaders--pervaded much of the proceedings. There were many young speakers at the plenary and breakout sessions, and there was a very large delegation of college and university students in attendance.

Under the guidance of Professor Saul Andron, Wurzweiler students were personal benefactors of this special attention. Professor Andron arranged an informal question and answer session with three Wurzweiler alumni who currently hold executive positions in their respective Federations (Judah Isaacs in Detroit, Marc Terrill in Baltimore and Max Kleinman in MetroWest, NJ). This session actually led to an impromptu invitation from Marc Terrill to a Baltimore Federation reception, attended by Baltimore professionals and lay leaders, later that evening.

Wurzweiler students met in a special session with volunteer leaders and professionals of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. After presentations from the chief professional and volunteer officers of the federation, students were paired with individual members of the Atlanta federation delegation for more in-depth discussion of the issues facing this rapidly growing Jewish community and the challenges the federation faces to implement new strategies to engage Jews in Jewish life. There was also time for a more intimate conversation between students and the professionals of this community about their career choices.

The Wurzweiler students returned energized from this conference with added enthusiasm for the Certificate program and commitment to pursue leadership positions in the Jewish community.

Summing up her experience, first-year student Samantha Leapman noted that...

The GA was an opportunity to join our fellow students in seeing our classroom learning experience come alive. With Dr. Andron’s help, we learned about the importance of creating new and innovative ways to engage the Jewish community, paving the way for our future involvement in the larger Jewish community.

Adena Kaplan, 2nd year student added...

Each year, the G.A. provides an ongoing opportunity for young professionals in the field to open their eyes to the depth, strengths, and gaps in the field of Jewish Communal Service. Our trip again reminded me of the enormous but exciting roles there are for us to take on in the field.

(Thanks to Yehezkel Jesin for reporting this story.)

Premier of Social Work in Cinema Attracts Alumni, Students

2007-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 7, marked the premier of Wurzweiler's Social Work in the Cinema program. No klieg lights, paparazzi, or fans straining at velvet-covered ropes, but a respectable turnout of students and almuni in Belfer Hall, room 921, where the movie was shown using a a newly installed projector and sound system of exceptional quality. The film was Three Approaches to Psychotherapy (1965), a classic documentary featuring Carl Rodgers, Fritz Pearls, and Albert Ellis. In the movie, each therapist spends a half hour working with a new patient, a woman named Gloria.

After the movie, Wurzweiler faculty member, Dr. Joan Beder, contributed her considerable clinical experience to a panel discussion about the film. The audience was intrigued by Dr. Rodgers' warmth and empathy, and startled--to say the least--by the confrontational style of Dr. Pearls. Because most of the audience was generation X and Y, they were unfamiliar with Pearls' books and the style of therapy he created, called "Gestalt."

The next film showing, on February 6th at 4:00 PM, will be My Name is Bill W., (1989) an HBO production with James Woods and James Garner. Everyone is welcome, and if a sufficient number of people RSVP, we will be able to provide fresh popcorn from an old fashioned movie theater popper. Movies and popcorn are free of charge. Any questions, email thecyberprof@gmail.com.

New Book From Dr. Strug and Others About US Travel Policy, Effect on Cuban-American Families

2007-11-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Love, Loss and Longing: the Impact of U.S. Travel Policy on Cuban-American Families, authored by Jeanne Parr Lemkau and Wurzweiler faculty member, David Strug, was recently co-published by the Latin American Working Group Education Fund and the Washington office on Latin America. This large format book, printed on fine paper, llustrates, through photographs by Nestor Hernandez jr. and Juan E. Gonzalez Lopez, the divisive effcts of US policy toward her island neighbor.

View an excerpt from Love Loss and Longing.

Read more about US Cuban relations on the WOLA website.

Read a review in the Havana Journal.

Buy a copy.

Homeless Speak at Lunch 'n Learn

2007-10-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, October 24, during our ongoing Lunchtime Learning series, a capacity crowd of Wurzweiler students, faculty and staff were joined by members of Picture the Homeless for a discussion about housing and homelessness in New York City. As Wurzweiler Associate Professor Stephen Pimpare said in his introduction,

When social workers and others think about experts to turn to for information about pressing policy issues, we often depend upon our agency heads or supervisors, or elected officials, or think tanks, or the work produced by scholars in books or peer reviewed academic journals. Too often, however, caseworkers and policy-makers alike fail to take seriously the sophisticated policy knowledge that can be found among people we think of merely as clients. But as our guests today will show, our "clients" have much to teach us -- and much to teach the "experts" who create and implement public policy.

PTH Member Rob Robinson and Housing Campaign Director Sam Miller discussed their recent census of abandoned buildings in Manhattan, which revealed that there are currently enough vacant units to house all homeless families, and their successes in getting the Manhattan Borough President and others to take it seriously. They reviewed the history and mission of PTH, showing how a small and "scrappy" organization can achieve real successes, against all odds. And they recounted their unique efforts to create change in New York with a combination of direct action, lobbying and legislative action, and trying to help the City understand the ways in which better coordination across agencies can improve their work.

In a spirited question-and-answer session, Rob discussed his own path from being homeless to being an activist, offered perspectives about how to think about panhandlers in a more three-dimensional way, and encouraged students to find ways for themselves to join PTH and other local activists in working toward making our city a little more humane and a little more just.

Said one student afterwards, "This really makes me think about homelessness and homeless people differently, and I hope we'll do more events like this."

Learn more about PTH by visiting their website at www.picturethehomeless.org, where you can view videos of their recent actions, download a copy of their report on vacant housing, "Homeless People Count," or read their new Blog, which has been recently reporting on new changes in NYC emergency shelter policy at the PATH site.

(Thanks to Stephen Pimpare for preparing this blog entree!)

Student Government Hosts Panel on Religious Law, Personal Values & Social Work

2007-10-18T08:34:00.001-07:00

Students, faculty and administrators crowded into the 9th floor common room on Wednesday, October 17th, to hear a discussion about religious law, personal values and social work. Reverend Dr. Frederick J. Streets, a recent addition to the Wurzweiler faculty, and the former chaplain of Yale University, introduced the featured speaker, Gavriel Fagin, a therapist at Ohel, a New York agency that provides services for abandoned, neglected, abused, and disabled Jewish children, and a doctoral candidate at Wurzweiler.

Fagin, a stout, bearded young man with an expansive and welcoming manner, described two scenarios from his practice, one involving a pregnant adolescent seeking an abortion and a second about a woman considering marital infidelity, and then encouraged the audience to to identify their personal, religious and professional values, as identified in the social work code of ethics, about these dilemmas, and how they would proceed in their own practice.

Following his presentation, the discussion was opened to a panel which included Professor Lynn Levy, Rabbi Dr. Norman Linzer, and Reverend Dr. Streets. The ideas and opinions expressed became grist for class room discussions which continued throughout the afternoon.

This was the first of several "Lunch and Learn" programs scheduled for the semester.

Next Wednesday: a presentation about homelessness in NYC.

New Continuing Ed Classes, Movie Night

2007-10-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

A new series of continuing ed classes from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on Mondays, will begin on October 15 and continuing on a weekly basis with a hiatus during winter and spring break. (Click here for a schedule.) Trauma, care-giving, elder-abuse, end of life care, social work ethics, cultural competency, and using the DSM IV are among the topics that will presented by Wurzweiler faculty.

The classes are free for current students, and $20 a class for non-students. Each session is a complete unit in itself, and a person can attend one session, a series, or more. For more information, call 212 960-0801. To register by mail, send your name, address, email, the names of the class(es) you plan to attend, and a check for the total amount ($20 x the number of classes = total) to:

Dr. J. Mellor
WSSW, Yeshiva University
2495 Amsterdam Ave.
NYC, New York 10033

Movies of the Month: Social Work & Cinema

This unusual film program was instituted out of a desire to show and discuss feature length films, both fiction and documentary, which seem to be of outstanding educational value to social work students.

The first of these films, My Name is Bill (1989) an HBO production, is an excellent film with James Woods and James Garner, about the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. This film has been postponed because of a scheduling conflict but will be rescheduled. (Check the Wurzweiler website for the new date)

Movies will be shown from 4:00 to 6:00 on Wednesdays, and will be followed by a discussion group. These evenings are free and popcorn will be served at no charge.

Finding a Way: Ethnic and Cultural Aspects of Multi-Generational Caregiving

2007-07-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

On June 6^th Yeshiva University students, alumni, educators, joined community agency staffs and administrators for the Annual Aging Conference on caregiving. As in past years, the consortium of sponsoring organizations included Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, the Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School, and the Washington Heights & Inwood Council on Aging and Bronx Regional Interagency Council on Aging.

Evelyn Laureano, PhD., a Wurzweiler alumna, emphasized the importance of caregiving in her opening remarks.

Caregiving has always been a universal experience… In this day and age, caregiving has become more than a personal family issue, it is a social cause, an essential element of out health and long-term care system and a concern to policymakers, politicians, employers, insurers, and health care providers.

A panel of experts, caregivers and care recipients spoke about their personal experiences and engaged in questions and dialogue with the conference participants.

Topics covered included

cultural variations in providing and receiving care,
the impact on nursing home placement on both giver and recipient of care,
caregiving at a distance,
and immigrant caregiving.

These and other topics continued to be discussed in small groups. (Watch for a follow-up on these discussions later in the summer).

Reverend Frederick J. Streets Joins Wurzweiler Faculty

2007-07-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Reverend Frederick J. Streets joins the Wurzweiler faculty following his service as chaplain of Yale University and senior pastor of the University Church at Yale, positions he held since 1992. Rev. Streets was the first African American and Baptist to hold this position.

He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University and master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from Wurzweiler.

As a consultant to the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma and in conjunction with the mental health community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rev. Streets helped implement a model for the psychiatric and pastoral care of Bosnian citizens traumatized by war. He also traveled to Colombia to promote peace-making and to Argentina to help foster a greater understanding of the nonprofit sector’s relationship to higher education.

Dr. Lowengrub commented, “We are very fortunate to have recruited Rev. Dr. Streets to YU. His presence will significantly add to Wurzweiler’s ever-broadening base in the national and international arenas.”

50th Anniversary Alumni Event in Jerusalem

2007-07-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

More than 140 alumni and friends attended a 50^th anniversary celebration at YU’s Gruss Campus in Jerusalem at which Sol Green and Naomi Abramowitz were recognized for their contributions to the schools growth and development.

Sol was one of the original faculty members of the school along with Mort Teicher, Chuck Levy and Everett Wilson. He retired in 1988 as Professor Emeritus. Naomi served as a faculty member from 1963 until 1974 when she moved to Israel and joined the faculty of Bar Ilan University which Sol helped establish in 1966.

The program featured a presentation on “Terror & Confidentiality by Norman Linzer who was introduced by Joyce Brenner ’76,’83, Sue Freedman’76 was the discussant. Sol was introduced by Stanley Schneider, ‘72

Wurzweiler Alums Take leadership Role at World Council of Jewish Communal Service

2007-07-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler Alumni played important leadership roles in the 11^th Quadrennial Conference of the World Council of Jewish Communal Service in Jerusalem, June 24-26, 2007.

Max Kleinman ’76, President of the World Council; Jacob Solomon, ’81 Program Chair; and Ted Comet, ’69 Executive Vice President of the Council are all alumni of Wurwzeiler's Program in Jewish Communal Service.

Dr. Norman Linzer ’60, a senior member of the Wurzweiler faculty, appeared on the program along with numerous other Wurzweiler Alumni.

Wurzweiler hosted a reception for the more than 700 Conference attendees from 32 countries, on the opening evening of the conference in honor of our 50^th anniversary.

Wurzweiler Prof on Fox 5 News

2007-05-25T07:50:00.001-07:00

On May 5th, Wurzweiler professor Jonathan Fast appeared on "Good Day: Street Talk" to discuss violence in schools. In this clip he talks about his theory of "ceremonial violence."

Jewish Communal Service students visit the Jewish Week

2007-05-24T04:36:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 9, students in Wurzweiler's Jewish
Communal Service Program visited the Times Square
office of the New York Jewish Week. As the largest
Jewish newspaper in the United States, the Jewish Week
has a powerful influence on American Jewish public
opinion. Joined by Professors Saul Andron, Lynne Levy
and Norman Linzer, students engaged in a discussion
with editor and publisher Gary Rosenblatt, managing
editor Robert Goldblum, and assistant managing editor
Adam Dickter about how these journalists deal with
such a grave responsibility.

All three newspapermen spoke openly of the criticism
the paper has sometimes received for its coverage of
sensitive issues, the conflict between serving the
Jewish community and engaging in lashon hara (hurtful
gossip), the challenge of keeping current in an age of
high-speed Internet and blogs, and the personal

rewards of having a story that was printed in the
paper result in relief and assistance to fellow Jews
in need. Students left with many new ideas and issues
to think about as they looked toward a new year of
study and service in the Jewish communal world.
(Thanks to Robert Lebowitz for reporting this even)

50th Anniversary Conference Huge Success

2007-05-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Wurzweiler School of Social Work recently celebrated it's 50th anniversary with a three day conference at the Sheratan New York in midtown Manhattan. Presenters included the foremost names in social work scholarship, alumni from the top ranks of social service agencies in America and around the world, doctoral students, and current MSW students. Each period offered attendees a choice of intellectually stimulating workshops, panels, and paper presentations.

The festivities were topped off by a gala dinner on Sunday night with guest speakers including Congressman Charlie Rangel, of New York's 15th congressional district, and Yeshiva University President, Richard Joel.

Wurz in Top 10: Most Productive Profs

2007-05-24T03:50:00.000-07:00

A recent study shows that professors at Wurzweiler School of Social Work are in the top ten of American colleges and universities in the number of scholarly works published between 1999 and 2003.

The study was conducted by Jan Ligon at Georgia State University, D. Lynn Jackson at University of North Texas, and Bruce Thyer at Florida State University.

The six social work journals they examined were:

Journal of Social Service research
Social Work
Social Service Review
Journal of Social Work Education
Child Welfare
Families in Society

These are considered six of the most prestigious journals in the field because they are competitive, carefully edited and rigorously peer reviewed.

The article, Academic affiliations of social work journal authors from 1999 to 2003: A productivitity analysis spanning 25 years of social work scholarship, was published in the Journal of Social Service Research, Volume 33, Issue 3, in 2007. Identical studies have been published every year five years since 1999.

The top ten producers of scholarly work were:

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Columbia University
Washington University
Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Michigan
University of Washington
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Yeshiva University
University of Tennessee
Boston University
University of Kansas
Fordham University