The Big Picture
Few things in life inspire more awe or hope than the miracle of a newborn child. When well nurtured and cared for in their earliest years, children are more likely to survive, to grow in a healthy way, to have less disease and fewer illnesses, and to fully develop thinking, language, emotional and social skills. In just one generation, these human gains can help break the cycles of poverty, disease and violence that affect so many countries.

Out of 100 children born in a year, 30 will most likely suffer from malnutrition in their first five years of life, 26 will not be immunized against the basic childhood diseases, 19 will lack access to safe drinking water and 40 to adequate sanitation, and 17 will never go to school. In developing countries, every fourth child lives in abject poverty, in families with an income of less than $1 a day.

The most egregious consequence is that nearly 11 million children each year – about 30,000 children a day – die before reaching their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes. Of these children, 4 million die in their first month of life.

Even when children do survive, they too often do not thrive, suffering from diminished learning capabilities and other disadvantages that limit their overall prospects for reaching their full potential.

The process of giving children the best start in life begins even before birth. Poor nutrition and ill health on the part of a mother can lead to low birth weight in her children, putting them at much greater risk of developmental delay, malnutrition and death.

Purpose of the Patient Registry:
Foundation Fighting Blindness-Canada and CIBC have awarded Dr. Héon a grant to develop a National (Canada) Children’s Vision Research Registry, which is a medical information database that will capture patients affected with retinal dystrophies.

The purpose of capturing these patients is to better understand the natural history of retinal dystrophies, standardize clinical assessment, and most importantly identify patients that could be eligible for clinical trials and/or other therapeutic opportunities that may become available in the near future.

This registry has the potential of expanding into a multi-centered project, but for now it will only involve patients at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Description of the Research:
The FFB/CIBC Children’s Vision Research Registry is an internet-based medical registry for retinal dystrophies. Retinal dystrophies are a group of genetic eye disorders that affect the retina of the eye. The retina is an important layer at the back of the eye, which picks up light and sends images to the brain. People who have a retinal dystrophy cannot see as well as other people because their retina is not working properly.

You are asked to be part of The FFB/CIBC Children’s Vision Research Registry. This medical database will allow scientists/physicians access to large amount of medical information that will allow them to better understand the natural history of retinal eye disorders such as the one in your family. This project will ultimately provide you and other patients, with retinal eye disorders, the opportunity to be studied by other doctors, which will allow them to determine you eligibility for clinical trials and/or new treatments that may become available in the near future.

No immediate benefit from participating in this study is expected. However, when clinical trials and other therapies become available in the future, your eligibility for treatment will be determined and you will be managed following the standard of care protocols in place at SickKids. If we also find that you are eligible for any new Foundation Fighting Blindness and SickKids Research Ethics Board approved research projects that develop from the FFB/CIBC Children’s Vision Research Registry you will be notified.

You will be informed of any changes made to the study or new information that might affect your willingness to continue to participate in the research.

The first Jewish high school of its kind in the world, Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid (YND), founded in 2001, channels the knowledge of Torah into the hearts, minds and lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing young men. YND, with its sterling secular educational program, is a valuable support system for this population throughout the global Jewish community. YND accepts young men in their teens from yeshivos, Jewish Day Schools, and public schools and addresses all the emotional and academic challenges that those with hearing loss typically deal with on a daily basis regardless of mode of communication.

A unique aspect of the program is the presence of role models who are deaf or hard-of-hearing themselves, including Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Kakon, the Dean and Rosh Yeshiva, and co-founder Dr. Hart Bressler, MD. In addition to trained and qualified rebbeim and teachers, sign language interpreting services, speech pathology, audiology services and an array of recreational activities all complement the program. Upon graduation, the students receive an internationally recognized Ontario Secondary Diploma. Since its inception, YND’s current home base at the Yeshiva Gedolah of Toronto only serves to further integrate the students with hearing peers and the community at large.

Rabbi Kakon earned his Master’s Degree in Talmudical Law and s’micha (rabbinical ordination) from Ner Israel Rabbinical College of Baltimore, Maryland. He also holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland. As a licensed therapist, Rabbi Kakon provided clinical therapy services for several years.

While in Baltimore, he also founded and directed the only overnight camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing Jewish adolescent boys at Ner Israel Campus for seven summers. The success of the program and the necessity for a year-around education for this population resulted in Rabbi Kakon and his family’s relocation to Toronto to co-found YND.

Rabbi Kakon, a descendant of the Ropshitzer Rebbe and a ninth generation descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, is a charismatic teacher whose unique experiences and achievements inspire people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Hatzoloh responders are required to have the following:

Certification & Training

Emergency Medical Responder Certification

Under the supervision of Robert J. Burgess, Senior Manager, Sunnybrook & Women’s College Health Sciences Centre Division of Pre-hospital Care, our responders received the designation of Emergency Medical Responder (EMR). The responders of Hatzoloh Toronto are proud to be the first group in Ontario to receive certification in this new program.

Each responder is certified as an EMR/D, which requires the responder to undergo 250 hours of training and recognizes our competency in the following areas:

Emergency patient care
C.P.R.
Patient immobilization
Oxygen therapy
Basic trauma life support
Defibrillation
Non-emergency patient care

Recently, Hatzoloh Toronto has upgraded its capabilities by including training for:

Administration of EPI pens, aspirin and ventolin
Blood glucose testing

Ontario Paramedic Association

All Hatzoloh Toronto responders are members of the Ontario Paramedic Association. We are the only volunteer organization to have been accorded such membership and we are very proud to belong to such a distinguished organization.

Ongoing Training

As part of our continuing education programs, our responders are required toperform clinical observations in Emergency Rooms and go for ride-a-longs in ambulances. During the SARS epidemic and the difficulty in procuring emergency room time and ride-a-longs, we sent some of our members to New York in order to obtain such training. Our responders are also required to attend mandatory lectures on different medical issues approximately once a month and must be recertified as EMRs every two years. Our responders must attend these programs and must successfully complete the EMR recertification examinations in order to retain their EMR status. Continuing education and clinical observation in both ambulance and Emergency Room settings help keep our responders’ training current.

Hatzoloh Toronto uses mannequins that enable Hatzoloh responders to simulate emergencies and conduct comprehensive training.

Equipment

Each Hatzoloh responder is equipped with a two way radio, an oxygen bag and a trauma bag. The contents of the bags are as follows:

Oxygen bag
O2 tank and all necessary oxygen delivery systems (adult, pediatric, nasal)
3 bag valve masks for all respiratory/cardiac arrests. (adult, pediatric and infant)
Suction unit
6 sizes of airways
BP cuff kit
Stethoscope
Several different sizes of cervical collars
Glucose and Asherman chest seal

Trauma kit

Ice
Gloves
Proper safety equipment, such as goggles, masks, gowns and heavy-duty gloves
Saline
Burn kit
Assorted bandages
Splint kit
OB kit

In addition, we have equipped several responders in each neighbourhood with semiautomatic defibrillators.

In the annals of any nation, themes emerge from the events that formed the nation that can be recognized as reflecting the essential values upon which the nation is built. These values can be defined as the fundamental principles upon which the nation continues to stand. In attempting to discover these “foundation stones” of the Jewish nation, the challenge is to correctly identify these foundations of our existence, for it is only thereby that we can fully understand our essence as a nation.

In regard to the Jewish People, one of the difficulties that may emerge in defining these fundamental principles that define our essence may be in the fact that there are actually two creative points in our existence. Did our nation, in this spirit, begin with Avraham Avinu or are we to understand Yetziat Mitzrayim, the Exodus from Egypt, as the defining moment of our definition as a nation? Perhaps it is both thus further informing us that Jewish Peoplehood is a complex amalgamation of differing fundamentals that come together in the unique hybrid of this nation. The challenge is not solely in the identification of the fundamental principles that flow from both episodes in our history but to also understand the connection between these two defining events.

Even more than the discovery of the One God by Avraham Avinu, in viewing the life of our first forefather we must identify his overriding demonstration of devotion to this One God as his defining characteristic. This is indicated by Avraham’s commitment to not just personally worship the One God but to teach others about this One God and bring them under the kanfei HaShechina, the wings of Heaven. (See, for example, Rashi, Bereishit 12:5.) It is also marked by Avraham’s departure from his home to go to the Land of Canaan simply in response to God’s command. And, of course, it is further obvious from Akeidat Yitzchak, the Binding of Isaac.

Yet in viewing Avraham’s life to find a defining essence to Jewish nationhood, should we also not consider Avraham’s powerful trait of chesed, loving-kindness? Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 10:2 in fact states that one can question the Jewishness of a person that is cruel. See, also, T.B. Yevamot 79a to the effect that the mark of a Jew includes caring for others. Thus from a review of the life of Avraham, we can define two fundamental principles to Jewishness. What is the voice of Yetziat Mitzrayim within this context?

In contemplating the connection of the Avot, our Forefathers, to Yetziat Mitzrayim, an understandable assumption would be that the conceptual basis found within the one is solidified in the other. While the stories of our Forefathers concerned them as individuals, it would be understandable to think that the role of the Exodus in solidifying the principles of Jewishness would be in bringing these values from the individual and the personal to the realm of the communal and the national. A review of the essential themes of Yetziat Mitzrayim does not really seem to lead to this conclusion. Avraham’s life was about devotion and caring. These do not seem to be the themes within Yetziat Mitzrayim. The Exodus would seem to have its own pronouncements about the fundamental principles of Jewish nationhood that simply, it would seem, are to be added to the fundamentals we understand from the Avot.

Perhaps, though, in regard to the value of caring there does seem to be some expression of this fundamental within the context of the Exodus. It is not, though, specifically found within Yetziat Mitzrayim itself but in the greater context of this episode in our historical existence. Throughout the Torah text, we are often told to be sensitive to the downcast or the individual under duress for we were once slaves in Egypt. We are to be empathetic because our historical experience informs us what it means to be in negative circumstances. This indeed reinforces the caring that emerges within our national psyche from Avraham Avinu – yet there is a distinction between the two. Avraham’s chesed could be described as emerging from nature; the lessons of the national experience in Egypt were a product of nurture. Perhaps, though, it is from this dual message about the essence of caring within our national identity that we discover how caring is fundamental to our Jewishness as both a result of the nature of our Jewish being and the nurture of our Jewish teachings.

Yet the other theme that emerges from Yetziat Mitzrayim would seem to be distinct and present a new concept to be added to the fundamentals established by Avraham. This is the value of hakeret hatov. This concept emerges from the Exodus itself and declares to us that, as an essential aspect of our being, we are to have gratitude to God for freeing us from slavery. Yet the lesson that we are to learn and incorporate into our national identity is even more expansive than this. We are to recognize any good done to us and acknowledge it.

3 Levels of Gratitude

TeamMS is a complimentary program to the MS Walk, RONA MS Bike Tour and other fundraising events.

Every year in Canada thousands of participants join together to take the TeamMS challenge and walk, run, cycle or golf on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

We invite you to join with at least three of your friends, family and co-workers to create your own team. Experience the camaraderie and excitement of TeamMS while helping to further the fight against multiple sclerosis.

Rabbi Yechiel Z. Eckstein, founder and chairman of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews of Canada, has devoted the past 25 years to building bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews and broad support for the State of Israel. He is recognized as the world’s leading Jewish authority on evangelical Christians.

Rabbi Eckstein received Orthodox Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University in New York. He holds master’s degrees from Yeshiva University and Columbia University, where he also completed studies for his doctorate. Rabbi Eckstein has served on the faculties of Columbia University, Chicago Theological Seminary and Northern Baptist Seminary. He currently serves on the executive committee of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and on the boards of directors of the Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren Hayesod.

MS Research Accomplishments During Past 10 Years

MS research continues to advance knowledge of the disease and treatment for people with MS. There is much greater understanding of this unpredictable, often disabling disease. Many of those accomplishments have taken place in the past 10 years thanks to the support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and its sister national MS societies around the world, many governments and private industry. Here are some key advances:

* There are treatments for some types of multiple sclerosis.
o They are useful in relapsing MS
o Their impact on development of disability still not clear

* Researchers have developed “windows” into the disease through technology.
o MRI scanning assists doctors in diagnosing MS more quickly
o Canadians are leaders in MRI and other magnetic resonance technology to measure disease activity within the central nervous system

* We have evidence myelin can and does regrow spontaneously which indicates repair is possible.
o Myelin repair and regrowth takes place in the early stages of MS
o Studies are underway using the body’s own cells to repair myelin

* Investigators have a better understanding of the nature of MS which means some types of MS can be more effectively managed. This is because of :
o Studies of MS tissue (pathology)
o Studies of the immune system (immunology)
o Studies of the way MS naturally progresses without treatment (natural history studies)

* Scientists have identified key molecules responsible for initiating the abnormal immune system response in MS.
o Identifying the “culprits” will lead to better therapies

* There is understanding that both genetic and environmental factors are important in the cause of MS.
o More than one gene is involved
o The excess of MS in some families is due to genetic factors
o A major genetic study is taking place in Canada

* Studies have found that MS is a costly disease.
o The cost of MS is higher than many other diseases because it lasts a lifetime
o Most of the cost of MS is borne by people with MS and their families
o The cost of the disease is greater the more disabled a person becomes

Circle of Care is dedicated to supporting independence and of the quality of life of individuals in their homes. Circle of Care is a community based non-profit registered charity that has been serving Toronto and area residents since 1974. Over 450 staff and more than 300 volunteers are available to provide assistance in your home.

Offering a wide range of home and community programs, including homemaking and personal support, social work and volunteer supported services, we strive to help clients live as comfortably as possible in their own home environments, and reduce the challenges they face due to physical, emotional, cognitive or mental health issues.

Circle of Care’s outstanding staff and volunteers care about our clients. We strive to enhance quality of life and ensure safety and dignity. We respect privacy, cultural diversity and the unique needs of each client.

Circle of Care is an accredited agency of Accreditation Canada, a member agency of the United Way Toronto and an affiliate of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Circle of Care provides service on behalf of four Community Care Access Centres (Central, Central East, Central West and Toronto Central) and the City of Toronto’s Homemakers and Nurses Services Program. Circle of Care receives grant funding from the Central Local Health Intregration Network (Ministry of Health and Long Term Care), Community Services Grants Program of the City of Toronto, United Way Toronto, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

This year our journey through Israel will include: Jerusalem, both the modern-day capital and the Old City; Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee; Mount Carmel and the Golan Heights; the Garden Tomb; Masada and the Dead Sea; and many other exciting biblical sites.

You will also meet with key Israeli leaders, and receive a firsthand introduction to our lifesaving projects (On Wings of Eagles and Guardians of Israel) that you make possible throughout the Holy Land.

And as a special highlight, I look forward to sharing a traditional Sabbath meal with you during our 2009 tour, at which time we will discuss the warm relationship between Jews and Christians who love and support Israel.

Based on the testimonies of the hundreds of Fellowship friends who have participated in our previous tours, I can assure you this year’s tour will be an unforgettable time of blessing, enjoyment, and spiritual growth for you!

I believe you will be deeply touched–and changed–by this journey of a lifetime to the Holy Land.

With prayers for shalom, peace,