How can religious obligations adapt to illness without compromising faith or well-being?

In Episode 6 of Healing People, Not Patients, Rabbanit Miriam Fenster, a Halacha advisor, discusses navigating Jewish observance amid mental and physical health challenges. Drawing from her work with the Maaglei Nefesh program and decades of advising, she addresses conflicts like fasting during Yom Kippur for those with diabetes or eating disorders, Shabbat observance in mental health crises, and tailoring guidance to personal stories. Miriam emphasizes empathy, flexibility within Halacha's "four walls," and empowering individuals to find their path, offering insights for religious practitioners and healthcare providers alike.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Flexibility in Halacha: Jewish law provides a structured framework but allows vast adaptability for individual health needs, viewing deviations not as "cheating" but as valid alternative paths.
• Person-Centered Guidance: Effective advice requires listening to the "question behind the question," understanding personal context, and sometimes consulting experts or deferring to the individual's self-knowledge.
• Lessons for Medicine: Healthcare professionals can learn from Halacha's nuanced approach—balancing evidence-based guidelines with empathy, avoiding premature closure, and recognizing social or emotional factors influencing patient needs.

About the Guest:

Rabbanit Miriam Fenster is a Halachic advisor and long-time student and teacher at Matan HaSharon in Ra'anana, Israel, specializing in advanced Halacha for women. She advises individuals aged 15 to 85 on family life, life cycles, Shabbat, and Kosher laws. Through the Maaglei Nefesh program, she supports those with mental illnesses in aligning Jewish observance with their health needs, drawing from personal experiences and a compassionate, individualized approach.

🔗 Connect with Rabbanit Miriam Fenster:

https://mnefesh.org/ Maaglei Nefesh

https://www.matan.org.il/en/ Matan

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

"Our theme song, "Room for the Soul," is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

How do we welcome the stranger in today’s clinics?

In Episode 5 of Healing People, Not Patients, Dr. Naghmeh Rowhani, and Ashok Gurung, join Dr. Jonathan Weinkle to discuss refugee and immigrant health. Dr. Rowhani, building a new pediatric immigrant clinic in San Diego, shares barriers like language gaps and fear of ICE. Ashok, a Bhutanese refugee now in medical school, recounts surviving refugee camps, community suicides, and translating mental health concepts across cultures. Together they explore cultural humility, somatic symptoms of trauma, and community resilience amid political turmoil—urging clinicians to advocate beyond medicine and foster trust through genuine care.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Cultural Humility Over Competency: No clinician can master every culture; success lies in humility, curiosity, and building trust over time—especially when language or worldview gaps persist.
• Trauma Hides in the Body: Refugees often present with unexplained pain (headaches, abdominal pain) rooted in stress and displacement; ruling out physical causes while gently addressing psychological roots requires patience and cultural sensitivity.
• Community as Medicine: Tight-knit immigrant networks provide food, support, and hope during crises (e.g., food stamp cuts); clinicians succeed by connecting patients to these lifelines and advocating for housing, education, and safety.

About the Guests:

Dr. Naghmeh Rowhani, is an academic faculty in Pediatrics at UC San Diego, developing an immigrant/refugee health clinic with a federally qualified health center. With an MPH from Harvard focused on child protection, she previously worked with global orphans and near-border Mexican communities.

LinkedIn : linkedin.com/in/naghmeh-rowhani-md-mph

Ashok Gurung, a Bhutanese refugee orphaned young, survived refugee camps and now pursues his MD at AdventHealth/University of Chicago. A community leader addressing Bhutanese mental health crises and suicides, he bridges cultural concepts of trauma for better care.

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

"Our theme song, "Room for the Soul," is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

What happened to the soul of medical education, and can we reclaim it?

In Episode 4 of Healing People, Not Patients, Dr. Jeremy Golding, a family medicine professor at UMass Chan Medical School, reflects on the shift from hierarchical, patient-centered training to today's high-pressure environment. Drawing from his career and the Five Minute Clinical Consult, he shares insights on fostering humanism, gratitude, and balance in education. Dr. Golding offers practical advice for educators to model joy, set boundaries, and prioritize relationships, inspiring trainees to see medicine as a privilege.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Evolution of Medical Education: Traditional training emphasized hierarchy and patient-first altruism but often led to burnout; modern approaches like simulation and work-hour limits aim to foster humanism and balance.
• Finding Joy in Medicine: Cultivate gratitude for patient interactions, set boundaries, and pursue non-clinical activities to sustain a fulfilling career and model this for trainees.
• Gratitude and Closure: End visits with thanks and clear guidance, viewing patient care as a privilege to build meaningful connections and prevent burnout.

About the Guest:

Dr. Jeremy Golding is a professor of family medicine at UMass Chan Medical School and practices at Clark University’s student health center in Worcester, Massachusetts. A dedicated medical educator, he has shaped generations of physicians through his teaching and as an associate editor of the Five Minute Clinical Consult (5MCC). Trained at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Golding emphasizes humanism, gratitude, and work-life balance in medicine, drawing from his experiences in obstetrics, pediatrics, and primary care to inspire joy and purpose in clinical practice.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Jeremy Golding:

🌐 UMass Chan Medical School

📘 Five Minute Clinical Consult

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

"Our theme song, "Room for the Soul," is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Can spirituality bring the soul back to mental healthcare?

In Episode 3 of Healing People, Not Patients, Shelley Karrel, discusses integrating spirituality into mental health practice. Drawing from her doctoral research and 20 years of Mussar practice, she explores barriers clinicians face—lack of training, fear of boundaries, and ethical concerns—and how Mussar’s focus on character traits like humility and patience can create meaningful patient connections. Shelley offers practical ways to see patients as “holy souls,” fostering healing through curiosity and compassion.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Barriers to Spirituality: Clinicians often lack training and personal spiritual awareness, fearing ethical or competency issues when addressing patients’ spiritual needs.
• Mussar in Practice: The Jewish practice of Mussar helps clinicians balance traits like humility and patience, transforming interactions by fostering curiosity over judgment.
• Healing Through Connection: Seeing patients as “holy souls” encourages clinicians to build authentic relationships, prioritizing patients’ values and meaning over technical fixes.

About the Guest:

Shelley Karrel is a registered clinical counselor in Vancouver, BC, with a Master’s in Counseling from City University of Seattle and a PhD candidate at Yorkville University, researching barriers to integrating spirituality in psychotherapy. With 30 years of counseling experience and 20 years practicing Mussar, she helps clients balance character traits to align with their soul’s purpose.

🔗 Connect with Shelley Karrel:

🌐 Website: Karrelcounselling.com

📘 Blog: “Your Spiritual Curriculum is Calling” on Karrelcounselling.com

📚 Recommended Reading: Everyday Holiness and With Heart in Mind by Alan Morinis

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

"Our theme song, "Room for the Soul," is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

How can healthcare providers become allies in addiction recovery?

In this episode of Healing People, Not Patients, Rabbi Joshua Corber, explores addiction as a response to life’s unmanageable stresses, not just substance misuse. Drawing from his recovery journey and the 12-step program, he highlights the transformative role of a sponsor and the importance of addressing psychoemotional pain. Rabbi Corber offers healthcare providers practical ways to shift from focusing on stopping substance use to fostering a desire for a meaningful, sober life, inspired by Jewish teachings and community support.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Addiction as a Symptom: Addiction often stems from an unmanageable life, not just substance misuse. Rabbi Corber emphasizes that the 12 steps address life’s broader challenges, helping patients find purpose beyond sobriety.
• The Power of a Sponsor: A sponsor, having walked the recovery path, offers unique support that therapy alone may not provide, guiding patients through life’s stresses with shared experience.
• Reframing the Conversation: Healthcare providers can move beyond prescribing sobriety to cultivating a desire for a manageable, fulfilling life, reducing stigma and supporting lasting recovery.

About the Guest:

Rabbi Joshua Corber, a graduate of the Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies, is the director of Jewish Addiction Community Services at Jewish Family Services in Vancouver, BC. A former congregational rabbi, he now supports individuals with substance use disorders, drawing on his recovery experience and the 12-step program to guide others toward a manageable, fulfilling life.

🔗 Connect with Rabbi Joshua Corber:

• 🌐 Website: jacsvancouver.com
• 📸 Instagram: @alcoholic_rabbi

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

"Our theme song, "Room for the Soul," is available on Bandcamp at https://jonathanweinkle.bandcamp.com/track/room-for-the-soul."

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Medicine was never supposed to be just about diagnoses, lab values, or billing codes. For Dr. Jonathan Weinkle, it began with a deep belief: every human being is created in the image of God.

In this opening teaser, Dr. Weinkle shares his story—from the joy of healing relationships to the heartbreak of burnout—and why he created Healing People, Not Patients. He explains how the show will use the framework of the Passover Seder’s four questions to explore today’s most vexing problems in healthcare.

With episodes dropping weekly, the show invites listeners to rethink medicine not as a system of transactions, but as a sacred calling to restore soul, purpose, and humanity.

This teaser sets the stage: a journey from burnout to being on fire, from depersonalization to healing.

• Medicine’s Soul is at Stake: Healthcare often treats both patients and professionals as commodities—leaving many burned out or disconnected.
• The Four Questions Framework: Each episode will echo the Passover Seder, asking: What makes this moment different? How can medicine be transformed?
• A Call to Change the Ending: Instead of watching colleagues leave medicine or lose their spark, we can create a new narrative—one where healing extends to patients and providers.

Healing People, Not Patients explores ways to enhance medical practice by infusing it with compassion, humanity, and a deeper sense of purpose, aiming to help healthcare professionals rediscover the "soul" of their work. Framed around the four questions of the Passover Seder, it probes how to transform medicine for the better, promoting an empathetic and supportive approach that empowers patients to create meaningful, sober lives, while drawing on Jewish teachings about community and friendship.

Dr. Jonathan Weinkle is an internist and pediatrician who practices primary care at a community health center in Pittsburgh. He strives to be a "nice Jewish doctor" focused on patient-centered healthcare, emphasizing effective communication and holistic well-being.

He teaches the courses, “Death and the Healthcare Professions” and “Healing and Humanity” at the University of Pittsburgh, authored the books Healing People, Not Patients and Illness to Exodus, and runs ‘Healers Who Listen’, where he blogs on healing and Jewish tradition. Once an aspiring rabbi, he now integrates faith and medicine to support other physicians and his own patients.

🌐 Website: healerswholisten.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathan-weinkle-3440032a

📸 Instagram: @HealersWhoListen

📘 Facebook: @JonathanWeinkle

The Healing People, Not Patients Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.