The United Synagogue

United Synagogue Communities To Become Proficient In First Aid

PRESS COVERAGE

London, 28th August, 2008

UNITED SYNAGOGUE COMMUNITIES TO BECOME PROFICIENT IN FIRST AID

The United Synagogue is about to launch first aid courses to its communities as part of Project Chesed.

Each Synagogue will be offered a while range of course options including a basic two-hour first aid course to cover CPR, (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) choking and bandaging, and a four-hour course that will also instruct how to manage injuries involving bleeding, burns, breaks and sprains and strains.

More detailed specialised courses such as paediatrics will be available for those communities interested and all courses will be tailor made to suit each synagogue. In line with the philosophy of Project Chesed, where Jewish learning is an integral part of all initiatives, trainers will also be teaching about the Jewish values of pikuach nefesh and general principles such as administering first aid on Shabbos or Yomtov.

United Synagogues who will be taking part include South London, Kingsbury, Golders Green, Stanmore, Hackney and East London, Palmers Green, Woodside Park, Sutton, Central Synagogue, South Hampstead and Edgware.

Candice Woolfson, Project Chesed's Director at the United Synagogue commented: "We are delighted that so many communities want to run first aid courses for their members. The preservation of human life is of utmost importance in Judaism. It is so important to learn first aid as it becomes a life skill and you never know when it may be required. Statistics show that you are more likely to perform first aid on a friend or relative than a stranger so there is no better way to learn than with other friends in the community. We hope that this invaluable project will reach out to every member of the US community."

Project Chesed, a joint initiative of the United Synagogue Community Division and the London School of Jewish Studies, is generously sponsored by the Dr. Benjamin Angel Foundation and a private donor.

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Published with permission of the Jewish Tribune