Jewish Bioethics - Programme
International Academic Expert Seminar
“Whoever saves a soul saves an entire world”. Jewish Perspectives on End-of-Life Ethics.
November 22-24, 2010 Leuven (Belgium)
 |
 |
 |
Vivacious ethical reflection has always been one of the central characteristics of Judaism, reflected in a centuries-old tradition of rabbinic discussion and interpretation of the Torah, the corpus of moral guidelines revealed by God to the Jewish people. As times changed Jewish authorities were time and again challenged to tackle new questions and dilemmas in accord with Jewish Scripture and moral standards. In the contemporary context as well the process of Jewish ethical reflection continues unabatedly. As a result of the achievements of modern medicine and the rapid development of biomedical technology during the past decades Judaism is challenged to formulate an answer to the bioethical questions and challenges this (r)evolution entails. Despite the rich and lively bioethical discussions among Jewish scholars and rabbis their voices often remain absent in Western European bioethical debates, led by the dominant Western ideological traditions - the Christian tradition and the non-religious humanist tradition. Aiming to fill in this gap, interdisciplinary research on religion, end-of-life ethics and palliative care in various religious and ideological traditions has become one of the central research axes of the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Religion and World View (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven). In order to draw particular attention to Jewish perspectives on bioethical debates with regard to the care for ill and dying persons the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Religion and World View organises, in cooperation with the Faculty of Religious Studies (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen) and Institutum Iudaicum (the Interuniversity Centre for the Academic Study of Judaism in Belgium) an international academic expert seminar on Jewish end-of-life ethics. Attention will be paid to specific characteristics of Jewish (biomedical) ethics, as well as to the heterogeneous ethical perspectives in Judaism, particularly with regard to specific treatment decisions at the end of life. The aim of the international seminar is to give the floor to theoretical and empirical academic research on the topic, as well as to real-life cases and practical experiences. We invite distinguished international scholars, who are considered experts on the matter. Moreover, researchers are given to opportunity to present relevant academic research on the topic. The seminar aims at stimulating high-level academic discussion and dialogue.
Scientific Committee
- Bert Broeckaert (Professor of Religious Studies, KU Leuven)
- Jean-Pierre Wils (Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)
- Luc Anckaert (President Institutum Iudaicum; Professor Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy, KU Leuven)
- Klaas Smelik (Professor Hebrew and Judaism; Director of the Etty Hillesum Research Centre, UGent)
- Roger Burggraeve (Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology, Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven)
- Didier Pollefeyt (Professor of Pastoral Theology, Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven)
- Chris Gastmans (Professor of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven)
- Paul Schotsmans (Professor of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven)
- Julien Klener (President Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie België; Professor Emeritus Hebrew and Judaism, UGent; visiting professor KU Leuven, UA, ULB)
- Aaron L. Mackler (Associate Professor of Theology at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, U.S.)
Invited Experts
- Alan B. Jotkowitz (Director of the Lord Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits Center of Jewish Medical Ethics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; Senior physician, Department of Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel)
- Daniel B. Sinclair (Professor of Jewish Law and Comparative Biomedical Law at Law School of the College of Academic Management, Rishon Lezion, Israel; Professor of Jewish Law at Fordham University Law School, New York, United States)
- Aaron L. Mackler (Associate Professor of Theology at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, United States)
- Sasja Martel (Director of the Jewish Hospice Immanuel Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Programme
Monday November 22, 2010
18.00-19.00: Registration
19.00-19.15: Welcome (prof. dr. Luc Anckaert & prof. dr. Bert Broeckaert)
19.00-19.15: 19.15-20.00: (1) Approaches in Jewish Medical Ethics. A Case Study in the Methodology of Jewish Medical Ethics: Orthodox Jewish Perspectives on End of Life Care (dr. Alan B. Jotkowitz MD)
Tuesday November 23, 2010
9.00: Registration
9.30-10.15: (2) Balancing Heteronomy and Autonomy at the End of Life: Orthodox Jewish Perspectives on Euthanasia (prof. dr. Daniel B. Sinclair)
10.15-11.00: (3) Treatment Choices and Stewardship: Liberal Jewish Perspectives on (Forgoing) Curative or Life-Sustaining Treatment (prof. dr. Aaron Mackler)
11.00-11.30: Coffee & tea
11.30-12.30: Discussion on lectures 1-3
12.30: Lunch
14.00-15.30: Paper session:
CHAIR: prof. dr. Chris Gastmans & prof. dr. Luc Anckaert
- 14.00-14.30: "Whoever saves a soul saves an entire world". Pikuah Nefesh in Rabbinic Literature (dr. Lieve Teugels)
- 14.30-15.00: End-of-Life Dilemmas as Reflected in Midrashic Literature (Peter Hurwitz, M.D.)
- 15.00-15.30: Comforting the deceased. The Standardization and Proliferation of the Taharah Ritual (David Sclar)
- 15.30-16.00: To Give Presence. Moshe Halbertal on the Ethics of Mourning as an Answer to the Challenges of Evil (David Dessin)
16.00-16.30: Coffee & tea
16.30-17.15: (4) Religion and Ethics at the End of Life: A Qualitative Empirical Study among Elderly Jewish Women in Antwerp (dra. Goedele Baeke)
17.15-17.45: Discussion on lecture 4 & concluding discussion
Wednesday November 24, 2010
9.00: Registration
9.30-11.00: Paper session:
CHAIR: prof. dr. em. Roger Burggraeve & prof. dr. em. Julien Klener
- 9.30-10.00: Roof Deaths & Rabbis: Suicide in the Babylonian Talmud (Nathan Alfred)
- 10.00-10.30: Organ Transplant and Definitions of Time of Death: Analysis of some Halakhic Aspects (prof. dr. Liliane Vana)
- 10.30-11.00: Religious Influences on the Jewish Conceptualization of Disability (Carolina Valdebenito & Jori De Coster)
11.00-11.30: Coffee & tea
11.30-12.15: (5) Dealing with Trauma in the Care of Jewish Terminal Patients. The Jewish Hospice Immanuel in the Netherlands. Real-Life Cases/Practical Experiences (dra. Sasja Martel)
12.15-12.45: Discussion on lecture 5
12.45-13.00: Conclusions (prof. dr. Bert Broeckaert & prof. dr. Luc Anckaert)
For whom?
The academic expert seminar is open for professors and students, teachers, care providers, leaders and members of religious communities, pastoral caregivers, and all those who are interested in (biomedical) ethics and Judaism. The conference language is English.
Where?
The expert seminar is held in the Conference room of the Pope's College, reachable via the Faculty of Theology, Maria Theresia College, Sint-Michielsstraat 6, 3000 Leuven (Belgium). Follow the signposts from Sint-Michielsstraat 6.
How to reach Leuven
Leuven is easily accessible by train. For time-tables and on-line train tickets, see: http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/index.php
From Brussels International Airport (www.brusselsairport.be) you can travel by train to Leuven. The railway station is located below the terminal (basement level -1). Every hour there are two direct trains that take you to the Leuven railway station in about 15 minutes.
For more information about transportation to and from Leuven, see: http://www.kuleuven.be/transportation/ (Please note that Leuven (Louvain in French) is NOT the same as Louvain-La-Neuve!)
Staying in Leuven
Leuven offers a wide range of accommodation. See: http://www.leuven.be/en/tourism/staying-over/
Registration
The conference fee is 50€ (including conference folder, coffee/tea and one lunch on November 23th).
Please register before October 18th, 2010 by submitting the online registration form http://theo.kuleuven.be/page/registration_seminar_endoflife_ethics/ and by transferring 50€ to bank account 734-0066603-70 (IBAN code: BE 60 7340 0666 0370, BIC code: KREDBEBB) with reference 400/0004/26132 + name of the participant.
For members of Institutum Iudaicum the conference fee is 30€.
For KU Leuven staff and students participation is free of charge, lunch excluded. Yet, registration is required.
More information
For more information please contact us:
Goedele Baeke
Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Religion and World View
Sint-Michielsstraat 4 bus 3101
3000 Leuven
Belgium
+32(0)16323811
Goedele.Baeke@theo.kuleuven.be
>Download leaflet (! the programme indicated on the leaflet is only preliminary; this webpage shows the final programme !)
With financial support of: 
