Health & Wellness | Jewish News

Israeli medical students gain clinical, cultural insight in Norfolk exchange

Haley Bartel — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:17:22 +0000

Jewish community has long extended beyond geography, linking people across continents who often recognize a shared sense of belonging.
Liora Zerbib knows about this feeling of belonging after spending several weeks with a Jewish host family in Ghent.

Zerbib, an Israeli medical student in her final year at the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine at Bar-Ilan University, is one of two Israeli students participating in a monthlong exchange program in Norfolk. The program was founded by obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Steven Warsof.

Through the exchange, Israeli medical students shadow obstetricians and gynecologists at EVMS, gaining firsthand exposure to American women’s healthcare while forming tight knit, sometimes unexpected connections with local physicians and the Jewish community.

“Coming here, you’re a little bit cautious, like ‘Should I be my true self, should I share this identity?’” she says, describing the uncertainty many Israelis feel when traveling abroad during a time of heightened tensions. “And then when the director of the program and the families that are hosting you make you feel like you can… you feel like you’re with family in some sort of way, even though you’re far away from your actual family.”

The program began more than a decade ago after Warsof learned about a new medical school in Safed, Israel, and reached out to establish a professional collaboration. What began as lectures and visits gradually developed into a student exchange supported by local donors.

“It’s been one of the highlights of my professional career,” says Warsof. “The relationships are real. The students gain exposure to a different healthcare system, and the host families gain meaningful personal connections. It’s rewarding on both sides.”

Warsof believes the program’s value extends beyond medicine. “People get to meet Israelis as individuals, not headlines,” he says. “They see students, future doctors, people who are living real lives. That kind of connection matters, especially now.”

Another participant, final-year medical student Anna Sirota, says the experience offers insight into both American medicine and Jewish community in the United States.

“I think this program is great, not only for our medical education, but also by bringing us here and letting us see how a Jewish community functions in America,” she says.

Sirota says she is struck by the diversity of Jewish practice she has encountered in Norfolk.

“We have a lot to learn from Jewish communities in America because they’re so open to other people’s view of religion,” she says.

Zerbib echoes that sentiment. “It’s been nice to hear their opinions and the way they see Judaism,” she says. “I’ve really appreciated their openness and acceptance.”

Dr. Steven Warsof.

Anna Sirota.

Liora Zerbib.

While long-distance community building is a central goal of the program, the students also gain firsthand experience with a healthcare system very different from their own.

“These comparisons are important because they broaden your worldview,” Zerbib says. “People think the American system is the most advanced, and in some ways that’s true.. but in Israel, preventive care is very common, and community medicine is very strong. Each system has things the other can learn from.”

Sirota says she was impressed by communication systems in U.S. hospitals and the benefits of shorter physician shifts, but noted the prevalence of chronic illness among younger patients.

“I was surprised to see the volume of patients that had very complicated background diseases,” she says. “For us in Israel, it’s relatively rare for women in their mid-20s and 30s to have conditions like Type 2 diabetes, chronic hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.”

The exchange comes as many Israeli medical students complete portions of their education amid war and instability. Sirota recalls taking exams during missile alerts.

“During those tests, you suddenly hear a siren,” she says. “You stop the test, go to the shelter, come back after 10 or 15 minutes, and then you have to continue the test.”

This reality, she says, required constant mental adjustment. “You have to change your mindset very fast. You’re in danger, and suddenly everything is okay, and you have to be focused for your test.”

Those experiences have shaped the students’ understanding of the role physicians play during times of crisis.

“During war, patients don’t always come just for physical symptoms,” Zerbib says. “Sometimes they come just to talk, to share the stress they’re feeling. The doctor might be the only person they speak to that day. The human connection becomes much more important during times of uncertainty.”

Warsof says programs like this one serve as a reminder that those connections can endure despite distance and conflict.

“Medicine, education, and community don’t stop during war,” he says. “Relationships continue. Learning continues. And those connections help strengthen Jewish communities on both sides of the ocean.”

For both students, the impact is immediate.

“It really felt like when we got here that there’s some sort of flow of connection that’s being kept through us just coming

Local nurse practitioner offers different approach to hormone health

Haley Bartel — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:09:07 +0000

From postpartum recovery to perimenopause, women experience a range of life stages that can affect hormones and overall health.

Dr. Kellie Frissora, a nurse practitioner and mother of three young children, understands how easily personal health can take a back seat during these life stages.

“I commonly saw patients for the same issue repeatedly,” Frissora says. “I heard over and over again, ‘My primary care said that my labs are normal, but I just don’t feel like myself. I don’t have the energy I once had. I’m just getting more exhausted than I usually do.’”

This reality led her to launch Frissora Functional Wellness, a fully virtual concierge functional medicine practice focused on hormone health and whole-body wellness. Frissora conducts all patient visits through virtual consultations.

Frissora worked as a nurse in a primary care setting for three years before becoming a nurse practitioner. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as a family nurse practitioner in 2019 and has since worked in primary care and medical weight loss settings. She has also completed additional training through the Institute of Functional Medicine and the Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Training Academy.

Frissora says she often encountered patients whose symptoms persisted despite standard treatment. Many reported ongoing fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, anxiety, sleep issues, and other concerns – even when routine lab work appeared normal.

Those experiences steered her toward functional medicine, an approach that seeks to identify underlying causes rather than simply manage symptoms.

“Functional medicine really gives you not only the education but the desire to figure out why the patient is feeling the way they are and help get to the root cause,” Frissora says.

Unlike traditional visits that may center on a specificdiagnosis, Frissora says her approach explores multiple systems at once.

“We look at your lifestyle factors and your environmental factors, because what people don’t realize is that if they have a thyroid issue or a gut issue, or a hormone issue, it’s usually just one piece of the puzzle,” she says.

Frissora emphasizes that hormones affect people of all genders, influencing everything from brain and bone health to metabolism and stress response.
While functional medicine is sometimes viewed as alternative medicine, Frissora says her practice remains grounded in evidence-based care.

“We still use evidence-based medicine. We still use lab testing. We still go by clinical guidelines,” she says.

The process begins with a free 15-minute discovery call to determine whether a patient’s needs align with the services offered. Patients then complete a comprehensive wellness consultation, typically lasting about 90 minutes, during which Frissora reviews medical history, symptoms, and health goals before ordering individualized laboratory testing.

Services are not covered by insurance and are paid for out-of-pocket.

Depending on the testing required, results are generally reviewed within two to four weeks. From there, patients receive personalized recommendations that may include lifestyle modifications, nutritional support, and supplements or prescriptions when appropriate.

Frissora tells of an anonymized example of a patient who benefited from this approach:

A woman came in experiencing fatigue, weight gain, poor sleep, and brain fog. She had previously been told her lab work was normal, but her symptoms were significantly affecting her quality of life.

Using a functional medicine approach, Frissora evaluated nutrition, blood sugar regulation, stress, sleep habits, hormone balance, and lifestyle patterns. The patient was given a personalized plan that included targeted nutrition changes, lifestyle interventions, and evidence-informed supplementation.

Over time, the patient experienced improvements in energy, sleep quality, mental clarity, and overall well-being.

Frissora notes that while results vary, this type of approach can help identify contributing factors that may not be addressed in traditional symptom-focused care.

Frissora emphasizes that patient safety remains central to her practice.

“If I identify a condition that requires further evaluation, specialized treatment, or urgent medical attention, I coordinate care with the patient’s primary care provider and appropriate specialists,” she says. “This may include cardiology, oncology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, mental health providers, or other specialists.”

She says she views functional medicine as complementary to conventional care, with the goal of ensuring patients receive comprehensive treatment that addresses both medical conditions and lifestyle factors.

“It’s a partnership,” she says. “I want you to be as invested in your health as I’m going to be.”

Ultimately, she says, the aim is not just to treat symptoms, but to help patients return to a place where they feel good in their bodies.

“They can still feel like themselves. They can feel good, and they can love the way they feel.”

Knowledge is power:JFS to partner with JScreen for vital genetic testing event

Julie Kievit — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:06:02 +0000

A strong community is a healthy community. Thursday, October 29, 6 pm • Sandler Family Campus

To support Tidewater’s growing Jewish community, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater is partnering with JScreen to host a life-saving educational event this fall. Whether planning a family or looking to understand personal hereditary cancer risks, proactive screening and access to preventative genetic testing can help secure healthier futures.

Centuries of shared ancestry mean that people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent face significantly higher genetic health risks than the general population. Consider:

One in three to one in four Ashkenazi Jews carry a gene mutation for serious recessive conditions such as Tay-Sachs or Canavan disease. This is 10 times higher than the general population.
No symptoms. Most carriers show zero symptoms. Testing is the only way to know one’s status.
A 25% risk. If both parents carry the same recessive gene, there is a one-in-four chance their child will inherit the disease.
Cancer risks. Ashkenazi populations also face a much higher prevalence of BRCA gene mutations, which are linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
The event offers affordable genetic testing, emphasizing that knowledge is a key tool in early prevention and proactive health management. Attendees will gain insights into two primary screening options:

Hereditary Cancer Testing: Screens for BRCA1, BRCA2, and more than 60 genes associated with inherited cancer risks.
Reproductive Carrier Screening: Tests for Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis, and more than 260 other conditions passed to children.

Participants will receive genetic test kits to provide and submit a sample directly at the event. The kits can also be mailed from home using a prepaid mailer. Once submitted, Jscreen’s partner, Myriad Genetics, will provide a personalized cost estimate for the test. Since some insurance carriers do not cover the cost of the test, participants can self-pay a flat rate of $249. JFS will have limited financial assistance to cover the cost of testing for participants who cannot afford the fees.

Knowledge is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to protecting one’s personal health and supporting future generations. Bringing JScreen to Tidewater gives individuals and families access to information that can truly save lives.

And, since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to make the commitment to dive into this important information. An $18 subsidized event entry fee covers case review and physician test order. The standard fee is $49.

Pre-registration is highly encouraged so testing kits can be prepared in advance. On-site registration will also be available.

For additional information, contact Julie Kievit, Jewish Community Relations Manager at JFS of Tidewater, at jkievit@jfshamptonroads.org.

Medical Directives versus Medical Orders

Stephanie Peck — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:39:47 +0000

An 84-year-old woman in the intensive care unit asked if the facility had a copy of her advance medical directive to support her healthcare wishes. The doctor explained that, in the hospital, this legal document did not serve the purpose she intended and instead detailed the importance of a POLST, or portable medical orders for life-sustaining treatment. The state of Virginia adopted this document in 2023, modeled after the Oregon POLST form which has been in use for more than 20 years.

While advanced directives and portable medical orders appear similar, the differences between the two are consequential when considering a patient’s healthcare at the end of their life.

David Kamer, an attorney with Kaufman & Canoles, outlines the importance of having an advance directive, which is comprised of two elements: a health care power of attorney and health care instructions. In an advance directive, an individual names one or more agents who are given the power to make health care decisions on the individual’s behalf if this person is unable to make an informed decision. The individual can decide what types of powers the agent can have. Examples include whether the agent should have the power to admit this person to a mental health care facility or whether the agent should have the power to decide on a specific treatment even if this person objects.

“An advance directive is also an opportunity to provide specific instructions about care after a person is no longer able to make decisions. It provides instructions about end-of-life care – meaning, whether to provide life-prolonging procedures, such as tube feeding, IV fluids, or use of a ventilator. But it might also be instructions about things such as who is permitted to visit, types of music to play, specific physicians to use, or specific types of treatment to use or not use. In addition, an advance directive can be used to provide instructions about organ donation,” Kamer says.

In contrast, a POLST is a physician-signed order form which communicates and puts into action treatment preferences, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation orders when a patient is near the end of their life. The Virginia POLST website recommends this form for those with a terminal illness, or those dealing with a chronic progressive illness, such as advanced heart or lung disease or cancer that has spread. Medical orders like POLSTs can be consulted in an emergency, such as in an ambulance or by an emergency medical professional.

Dr. Rosie Newman, a retired geriatric and inpatient palliative care physician, completed a POLST form four to six times per day during the last five plus years of her medical career. “This (the POLST) spells out the desire to avoid interventions focused on life support and rather focused on comfort and a natural death,’ she says. “This is care that aims to remain out of hospital except when comfort cannot be provided in another setting.”

The current standard of care during an emergency is to do everything possible to save someone’s life unless there is a medical order to the contrary. A POLST is based on the ethical principle of respect and patient autonomy and the legal principle of patient self-determination. According to its website, all competent adults have the right to make their own healthcare decisions. A POLST is designed to help healthcare professionals know and honor the treatment wishes of their patients.

Dr. Marissa Galicia-Castillo, director of the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, also serves as the director of the Brock Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine (which she was instrumental in establishing) and serves on the board of Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads. She outlines that an advanced care plan provides guidelines for medical care, but it is not an order like a POLST. (Other acronyms for similar orders include POST, MOST and MOLST, and Virginia will accept these documents from other states, as well).

The POLST form simply asks how the individual wants to be treated at the end of life: comfort measures only, selective treatments, or full treatment including artificial nutrition and hydration. “We try to fill-out POLSTS as often as we can, but people don’t want to talk about it,” Dr. Galicia-Castillo says. Since a serious illness often results in palliative care, she recommends having this conversation when the patient is as well as possible and not in distress.

Kamer recommends that everyone also have an advance directive. “The Virginia Code sets out an ordering of who serves as agent to make health care decisions in the absence of an advance directive, but that agent might be someone who would not have otherwise been chosen,” he says. Without an advance directive, a person’s wishes about end-of-life care or other types of health care might not be carried out, as they will be unknown to the agent and the health care providers.

An advance directive can be created online, and Kamer recommends using the form available on the Virginia State Bar website or forms made available by hospitals. However, a lawyer can be helpful in explaining the concepts contained in an advance directive. A POLST, on the other hand, should be obtained from, and completed with, a health care professional. It should not be provided to patients or individuals to complete on their own.

Connect Virginia is a state registry for advance directives where Virginia residents can securely store their completed documents. Health care providers and designated persons can have access to the account. Kamer adds, “To ensure that all relevant parties know about someone’s advance directive, aside from registering it, I recommend giving a copy to one’s physicians and named agents. If the person is comfortable with it, I would also suggest giving a copy to family members and close friends or letting them know where to find a copy.”

While 30+ states recognize the National POLST form, there is no national registry. In Virginia, the form can be uploaded to Sentara’s EPIC system, free of charge, while other hospital systems charge a fee for the upload. “It’s a chunky system, not consistent,” Galicia-Castillo says. She also recommends the U.S. Advanced Care Plan Registry, a secure, online database to store advanced directives, including DNRs (do not resuscitate) and POLSTS. Through its mobile app, emergency responders can search a document by address, allowing personnel to review a DNR or POLST before arriving at the scene.

Newman adds, “Sadly it was not unusual to have this document missing between the hospital and the rehab site – making my job one of calling to be sure the staff saw the POLST and that a copy was now on file in this new setting. Which is why we say transitions of health care locations are the weakest link in healthcare where things can go wrong despite all the best efforts at both sides.”

Both Kamer and Galicia-Castillo stress that a person is never too young to prepare these documents. “It should become a normal part of becoming an adult,” says Galicia-Castillo.

Kamer agrees, “It can be difficult and uncomfortable to think through these serious issues, particularly for young adults, but life is unpredictable. It’s better to get through it and put the subject out of mind than to never deal with it.”

Dr. Louise Lubin inspires JFS staff with message of self-compassion and resilience

Brooke Rush — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:29:29 +0000

Amid the demands of social services work, the staff at Jewish Family Service of Tidewater recently gained valuable insights and inspiration during a seminar led by Dr. Louise B. Lubin, a distinguished clinical psychologist with 40 years of experience.

With a focus on self-love, compassion, and burnout, Dr. Lubin offered a deeply empathetic perspective drawn from her career in adult, marital, and family therapy. The session took place on Thursday, May 1.

Drawing from her book, Many Paths to Healing, she shared a poignant passage that resonated with many in the room:

“Life is not fair. People do not always get what they deserve. Bad things happen to good people. It is up to me to sort out how I am going to accept what is, rather than focusing on what should be. Staying stuck in blame toward others or myself keeps me from living more fully with an open heart and compassion.”

The quote encapsulates the core of Lubin’s message: the path to healing begins with acceptance and is sustained by kindness—especially toward oneself.

During the seminar, Lubin introduced the concept of “warming up” self-talk, a simple yet profound shift in how individuals can nurture themselves mentally and emotionally. She encouraged participants to ask: What would I say to a dear friend? What would I like to hear that would allow me to rest and relax? What do I need?

These questions, Lubin explained, help redirect the often-critical internal dialogue toward one that is affirming and restorative.

Lubin is a retired faculty member of Eastern Virginia Medical School and a lifetime member of leading national psychology organizations. Her “Many Paths to Healing” programs have helped patients build emotional resilience across hospitals and medical practices, offering patients vital tools for emotional resilience in the face of chronic or life-threatening illness.

Reflecting on the significance of Lubin’s visit, Kelly Burroughs, CEO of JFS, says, “Dr. Lubin reminded us that in order to heal others, we have to care for ourselves. It was great for our staff to hear about self-care from such an experienced professional.”

At JFS, where the mission is to promote quality of life through services rooted in the tradition of Judaism, Dr. Lubin’s message served as a vital reminder: compassion must begin at home, within ourselves.

To learn more, visit Dr. Lousie Lubin’s website at manypathstohealing.com.

Body, Soul and Summertime

Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:41:24 +0000

Food is always a Jewish topic, and every Shabbat and Jewish holiday are new opportunities to overindulge.
Maimonides famously says (Deot 4:15) that overeating is unhealthy and everyone knows that keeping healthy makes good sense. But to what extent is a healthy body, per se, a Torah issue?

Anyone who suspects that health and fitness is only a modern concern might consider the Talmud’s opinion:
Rav Huna said to his son, Rabah, “Why aren’t you a disciple of Rav Chisda, whose teachings are sharp?” He said, “Why should I – whenever I go, he lectures me on mundane matters. For example, he gave me instructions on how to relieve myself safely.” He said, “He’s immersed in matters of health and you call them mundane? All the more so should you go to him!” Shabbos 82a

This Talmudic ethic echoes a midrashic warning that the vast majority of people die prematurely due to neglecting their health and well-being:

Ninety-nine percent die before their time due to neglecting their health. – Midrash Raba

When I first learned about the mitzvah of guarding your health, many questions came to mind: What are the parameters of the mitzvah? Is it possible that the ultimate guide to ethics and holiness includes guidance on food, exercise, and other specific health topics? Might the Torah’s approach to health provide guidance in addressing major public health challenges such as obesity and COVID-19?

Years of researching these questions in the Torah literature has culminated in a collection of more than 60 major teachings, some of which have never before been translated. The health topics covered by the Torah include:

Holy eating
Healthy eating
Sugar, obesity, and healthy weight
Special Jewish food challenges
Exercise
Sleep
How to raise children with healthy habits

The first step on this journey is to develop a Torah-guided relationship to the body. Mastering this framework is the key to long-term changes. Changing a habit temporarily is relatively easy, but long-term sustained change in even a single habit is one of the hardest challenges in life. Motivation is key, and learning a Torah body-framework will hopefully lead to an increase in overall well-being for all who make a modicum of effort. In the long term, a healthier body-relationship should lead to a longer life that is more thoughtful, disciplined, spiritual, and elevated.

Yet even someone immersed in Torah wisdom can sometimes lack motivation to consistently pursue healthy daily living. At such times, I personally try to recall the words of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch:

A person can only reach his fullest spiritual potential if he is physically strong, per the Talmud, Shabbat 92a.

As much as summertime and Shabbat and Jewish holidays are food challenges, they are also an opportunity. Every time you consciously make something even slightly healthier – by reducing the sugar or increasing the vegetables – you’re fulfilling a mitzvah. When you encourage healthy habits in children, you’re giving them a lifelong gift.

Adapted from the book, Body & Soul: The Torah Path to Food, Fitness and a Healthy Life. To contact the author, visit TorahHealth.org or follow the Body & Soul class on TorahAnytime.com.

Build strength for a good life

Jewish News VA — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 21:45:58 +0000

“Strong legs, long life.”

This is the mantra voiced by Tom Purcell during the LifeFit class he leads on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the Simon Family JCC. It is just one among many positive thoughts Purcell shares during every class – all promoting fitness and wellness in body, mind, and social interaction.

A cornerstone of the class is building strong legs to support balance and upper body stamina. A staple of the exercise routine is standing and sitting repetitively while balancing a ball between one’s knees. The focus is on the legs doing all the work. While this exercise is initially met with groans, it ends with satisfying “oohs,” which Purcell says, he loves to hear. “Strong legs, long life,” he shouts out.

Indeed, strong legs are essential for supporting the spine and upper body. Along with that, nurturing good balance and building muscle to replace fat are also essential for longevity and physical independence. All the exercises which alternately employ hand weights and balls are designed to reach those goals. After standing and chair exercises, the class moves to mats for abdominal exercises and the ever-popular plank, a real barometer of overall fitness. Some participants can plank for more than two minutes, a real testament to the fitness level they have attained.

The Lifefit participants tend to be more than 65 years old, and the beauty of the class is that all the exercises can be self-edited to meet each person where they are in their personal fitness journey. Purcell often reminds everyone to do what they can, and he offers alternative modes of doing a given exercise. Even if someone can’t get to the floor on a mat, he offers alternative ways to get the ab work into a routine on a chair.

While physical fitness is imperative as people age, according to Purcell’s playbook, so is nurturing the mind and “social wellness.” One technique he uses to sharpen participants’ minds is to encourage everyone to remember the order and mode of exercises he leads each day, and he often mixes up the combinations to keep everyone thinking.

This is a very cohesive and consistent population of fitness seekers, and they love to visit and share their stories. Many have been exercising together for years. There is quite a buzz of conversation at the beginning of each class and there are sparks of kindness with inquiries and updates on those who might have been out for a while due to illness or injury.

Fridays are always a highlight with Purcell cooking up trivia competitions or asking for fun facts and favorite movies. Amidst the hard work there is a lot of humor and laughing. As Purcell often says, “work hard, but also laugh every day and remember to get in an act of kindness.”

To register or for class information, contact Tom Purcell, wellness director, at TPurcell@UJFT.org or 757-321-2310.

February is Heart Month: Tune it up!

Tom Purcell — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 22:06:50 +0000

The heart is the engine that circulates oxygen throughout the blood stream to keep the body vital. A continuous engine, the heart can run for more than 100 years without stopping. With an electrical current that’s not plugged into a wall, the heart is a self-contained energy source of complex cells. When working efficiently, the heart will beat on average between 60 and 90 beats per minute.

This constantly working engine supplies the blood’s oxygen through the body via vessels and arteries – very similar to a car’s engine moving fluid (gas and oil) throughout the vehicle so it can run.

For someone who lives to be 80 years old with an average heart rate of 80 beats per minute, the heart would beat more than 3.3 billion times! Cardiovascular exercise can help maintain the involuntary muscles of the heart so it can continue with a strong stroke volume to produce the strength necessary to regulate oxygen for life. While a car is taken for a tune up every three months or 3,000 miles to operate properly, cardiovascular exercise should be conducted weekly, if not daily, for the heart/engine to perform at a high level.

So, take a walk, go for a swim, or join a gym to “tune up” your heart “engine” today to ensure a smooth ride traveling through life.

Tom Purcell is Simon Family JCC’s wellness/fitness director. He may be reached at tpurcell@simonfamilyjcc.org.