Yeshiva University’s Student Medical Ethics Society (MES) announced today that it will be hosting its 9th annual Fuld Family conference, titled “Protecting Their Future: Medical and Jewish Perspectives on Pediatric Mental and Physical Health,” on Sunday, October 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at YU’s Wilf Campus, 500 West 185th Street, New York, NY.
Through interactive panel discussions, the conference will explore the halachic implications of preventative medicine, childhood vaccinations, and the treatment of pediatric ADHD, adolescent suicide and depression, and teenage alcoholism.
“Because children are extremely vulnerable yet unable to ensure their own medical security, it is our responsibility to come together and discuss how we can safeguard their health and protect their future while staying within the boundaries of contemporary ethics and Jewish law,” said Yitzy Mayefsky, a senior at Yeshiva College and co-president of MES.
“The goal of this year’s conference is to strip away the obscurities and talk about common pediatric issues in a way that will allow attendees to gain a practical understanding of how they can provide a healthier environment for their children and students.”
The conference’s impressive list of panelists includes Dr. David Pelcovitz, PhD, Gwendolyn and Joseph Straus Chair in Psychology & Jewish Education at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education; Dr. Glenn S. Hirsch, medical director at the NYU Child Study Center; Dr. Yoni Schwab, PhD, assistant head of school at the Shefa School; Dr. Susan K Schulman, MD, pediatrician at Maimonides Infants and Children’s Hospital; and Dr. Barry Holzer, director of the Center for Attention Deficit Disorders.
“This year’s MES conference will also help participants gain a newfound appreciation for the supreme dedication and profound insight of the healthcare professionals who care for our children and ensure a healthier Jewish future,” added Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, conference chairman, mentor of the MES program and professor of Emergency Medicine at YU’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
MES, a student-run organization developed and under the guidance of YU’s Center for the Jewish Future, was founded in 2005 to promote education and awareness of medical ethics on campus. In just a few short years, it has grown from a small student group into a major campus organization running large-scale events and educational programming with university-wide participation. Previous MES conferences have dealt with organ donation, fertility, modern genetics, Jewish approaches to complex mental health issues, medical dilemmas born out of the Holocaust, and the ways in which Israeli medical institutions utilize Jewish law to form national policy.
“We are blessed to have students whose dedication and commitment to medical issues have transformed the YU campus in areas of genetic testing,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, vice president for university and community life at YU and an adviser to the Medical Ethics Society. “Furthermore, their conferences and community work have sensitized the public to larger medical issues, helping to transform our communal culture to the betterment of society.”
The conference is open to the public but pre-event registration is required. For more information or to register, please visit www.yumedicalethics.com.
