Cross-cultural encounters between careproviders: rabbis’ referral letters to a psychiatric clinic in Israel

Kosher medicine and medicalized halacha: An exploration of triadic relations among Israeli rabbis, doctors, and infertility patients

“… 14. In studies that focus on ultra‐Orthodox psychiatry patients, Yehudah Goodman and Eliezer Witztum (2002) discuss treatments that involve a third party (a family member or a friend), following a referral letter from the patient's rabbi (see also Heilman and Witztum 1994). Interestingly, however, in the cases they describe, there is no trace of rabbinic interventions in clinical practice beyond the referral letter.…”

Psychotropic Drug Use in Israel

“…40,41 Regarding the factor of religious affiliation, we found that the prevalence of psychotropic drug use was substantially higher among secular people or individuals identifying themselves as belonging to traditional Jewish religion compared with those of Orthodox Jewish communities. There are at least 2 reasons for explaining this difference: (1) both social cohesion and social support in the ultra-orthodox communities enable resilience to psychological stress, 42 and (2) negative (stigmatizing) attitudes toward mental disorders and treatment are expressed and mental health service utilization is lowered among these communities. 43,44 These reasons fit also to explain lower psychotropic drug use among Arabs 45,46 and, probably, other religious minorities in Israel.…”

The elder abuse and neglect phenomenon in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish society: social workers’ perspectives

“…The findings indeed show that UOJ clients, including older persons who experience abuse and neglect, would rather solve the problems within the community than turn to the welfare services. Goodman and Witztum (2002) noted that the UOJS tries to resolve conflicts by consulting with rabbis and other community authorities. A great need that emerged from the findings is an integration of UOJS authorities and the welfare authorities as well as other state services, to bridge these two worlds and help to provide appropriate treatment on the one hand, and to preserve the nature of the society, on the other.…”

“…As a "faith-based community," the UOJS is a differentiated group within Jewish society in Israel and worldwide (Goodman and Witztum, 2002), characterized by extreme views regarding faith and religious practices (Baum, 2007). Its strong community discipline stems from subordination to rabbinical authority, which encourages strong loyalty to the community, while dictating strict behavioral codes (Coleman-Brueckheimer et al, 2009).…”