Chaplain Alissa Thomas-Newborn: Hope is not a Promise

Your feedback is what keeps us going. Whether it’s positive, constructive, or somewhere in between — we appreciate it all. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for our podcast, please share them with us!What does a hospital chaplain actually do?What can you possibly say to a mother sitting beside her critically ill child? To a family facing an impossible medical decision? To someone who has just received devastating news?Alissa Thomas-Newborn is a board-certified Jewish chaplain who has been there for people during some of the most painful and frightening moments of their lives. And often, she says, her job isn't to have the right answer. It's to know how to be there when there isn't an answer.In this episode, Alissa takes us inside the world of hospital chaplaincy and shares what she has learned about suffering, grief, faith, hope, and simply being present.We talk about what families actually need when they're in crisis, why listening can sometimes be far more powerful than talking, and the things well-meaning people say that may hurt instead of help. Alissa also discusses the unique needs of Orthodox Jewish families in the hospital, the role of halacha and rabbanim in difficult medical decisions, and how a chaplain can help bridge the gap between families and medical teams.And perhaps most importantly: when someone you care about is going through something terrible and you have absolutely no idea what to say or do—what do they really need from you?YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsK24OSmIYG_XWzeplhfmb8LJcWKphITh&si=untn3fmHLLaEEFNmApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relief-from-grief-by-mayrim/id1788349916Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AvWNp0DrHqE5AVYJHooiK?si=ufpIObuGRumS5uFXmvrpgA Questions or feedback? Email me at: [email protected]