Judaism and health: reflections on an emerging scholarly field

Mapping the Healthcare Chaplaincy Literature: An Analytical Review of Publications Authored by Chaplains and Theologians Between 2000 and 2018

The body of theoretical and empirical research led by chaplains and theologians between 2000 and 2018 is developing into a rich, diverse, and methodologically rigorous healthcare chaplaincy literature, which this review proposes to map. Online keyword and bibliographical searches and specialist recommendations yielded 199 relevant publications, which we analyzed in terms of methodology, topic, and results. On this basis, this article identifies and describes five key areas of the literature: chaplains' practices, spirituality, research, impact, and healthcare professionals' practices of spiritual care. The discussion further highlights that publications would benefit from greater conceptual clarity, common research standards, and more critical research designs.

Religiosity and Well-Being among Older Jewish Israelis: Findings from SHARE

This study examined the correlates of religiosity among Jewish Israelis aged 50 and older. Based on the second wave of Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, the findings show that almost half the Jewish respondents never pray and that, on average, prayer frequency is lower among Jewish Israelis than it is among most of their European counterparts. Multivariate logistic analyses revealed that those who pray more often have more health conditions, are less able to make ends meet financially and have fewer years of education. However, when facing ill health those who pray more often display a relatively lesser decline in their sense of well being.