Roslindale-based Hebrew SeniorLife Chaplaincy Institute wins accolades

By Kim Foley MacKinnon, Town Correspondent

For the second year in a row, the Hebrew SeniorLife Chaplaincy Institute made the list of the 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in North America in Slingshot, a prestigious resource guide for potential funders published annually.

Hundreds of Jewish non-profits across the country are nominated for the guide each year and just 50 are chosen. Hebrew SeniorLife is one of eight Boston nonprofits to receive the honor in the latest issue. The others are Challah for Hunger, Diarna, Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, Keshet, InterfaithFamily.com, Mayyim Hayyim and Moishe House. The organizations are celebrating with a private event next week.

Hebrew SeniorLife is the largest provider of senior health care and housing in New England, and the second largest non-profit in Massachusetts. The Chaplaincy Institute is one of only three Jewish accredited programs nationally, and the only one with a geriatric focus. The nonprofit was chosen for its work in training chaplains in issues related to aging and improving the quality of Jewish pastoral care nationally.

"What we are doing is groundbreaking, and we are grateful to Slingshot for recognizing the important nature of our work," said Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow, director of Religious Services for Hebrew SeniorLife.

In addition to making the list, the organization was one of seven to receive a capacity-building grant from the related Slingshot Fund, which helps fund Jewish life programs.

Hebrew SeniorLife, which was founded in 1903, is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and is a non-sectarian, nonprofit focused on research, health care, education and housing to improve the lives of seniors.