SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The World Health Organization reports that in 2019 more than 141 million children will be born: 73 million boys and 68 million girls. Based on recent mortality risks the boys will live, on average, 69.8 years and the girls 74.2 years.
What’s this have to do with a synagogue-based, Torah-based, free monthly program that includes many of San Diego’s most esteemed physicians and healthcare leaders?
When Young Israel of San Diego, an inclusive Modern Orthodox synagogue tucked into the foothills of Cowles Mountain in the San Carlos area of San Diego, learned of these statistics, Dr. Michael Mantell volunteered to create a response. Enter, YISD’s “Shmirat HaGuf: Health Through Torah.”
Mantell noted that his inspiration was a sentence in the Torah that decrees, “Venishmartem meod lenafshoteichem, Be very careful about your lives,” (Devarim 4:15).
The main causes of death that contribute to a lower life expectancy in males than in females are ischemic heart disease, road injuries, lung cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, tuberculosis, prostate cancer, and interpersonal violence.
Breast cancer, maternal conditions, and cervical cancer are the causes of death that most reduce female rather than male global life expectancy.
Non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, are collectively responsible for over 70% of all deaths worldwide, or 41 million people.
“The Jewish approach to health is quite different in emphasis than that of contemporary medicine,” Mantell said. “Judaism places greater significance on preventing disease.”
In the words of YISD’s beloved Rabbi Hollander, “We can never be satisfied with our accomplishments and rest on our laurels. We must constantly strive to move forward. This program is an example of our striving to elevate life, mind, body and spirit.”
“We carefully crafted a unique Torah-based health education program, not found anywhere else, that is anchored in having a free, monthly dialogue with Rabbinic Torah scholars and leading San Diego medical and healthcare experts, that also includes a physical activity at Lake Murray and a healthy light lunch at our synagogue,” Dr. Mantell shared.
To date, Dr. Abraham Broudy, pediatrician, Dr. Steve Brody, reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Sam Marcus, gastroenterologist, and Dr. Jamin Eiseman, geriatrician and internist, have provided presentations each month. On Sunday, June 23, Dr. Larry Herring, chiropractor, will speak about pain prevention and management. Future programs include internists, rheumatologists, urologists, oncologists, and others, all through the lens of contemporary medicine and Torah.
While, of course, physicians play a central role in our maintaining optimal health and wellbeing, Judaism teaches that the individual has the major responsibility in caring for her/his health. After all, it’s a “mitzvah” from the Torah, “take heed to thyself and take care of your lives.” (Deuteronomy 4:9) and, again, “be extremely protective of your lives (Deuteronomy 4:15).
Maimonides wrote, “Maintaining a healthy body is among the ways of serving Hashem, since it is impossible for one who is not healthy to understand or know anything of the Creator. Therefore one must distance himself from things which harm the body, and accustom oneself to the things that strengthen and make one healthy.”
For more information https://www.yisandiego.org, and https://www.facebook.com/youngisraelsd/ or call 619-589-1447.
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Preceding provided by Young Israel of San Diego