Rabbi Leonard (Yehuda) Blank, MS, BCC Director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America Chaplaincy Commission and External Affairs who was unable to attend this week’s meeting, wishes much success to Iman Dr, Tahir Kukaj NYPD Chaplain. Rabbi Blank before the merge of the three NYC police departments himself was a uniformed police chaplain for the NYC Housing Police. It was truly fitting especially in today environment, to know that our multicultural police department has distinguished members such as Chaplain Kukaj and the other police department chaplains under the leadership of Chief Chaplain Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass to encourage and foster good and meaningful relations throughout our City of ours including the Jewish Community. Meeting with many of the distinguished members of the Rabbinical Alliance of America only enhances those good relations between our communities and the NYC Police Department. It is also important to note of our pride in having many members of the NYC Police Department who themselves are not only Jewish, but from the Orthodox Jewish communities serving in many capacities. Rabbi Blank on behalf of the Chaplaincy Commission would like to share the following. Attached to this newsletter is a flyer about a special Rabbinic Certificate Program in Gerontology and Palliative Care. Not only does one who completes the program receive a certificate, but can use those credits toward a degree in social work at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. There will be future information about other educational programs to be announced. We are also putting together a list where CPE Clinical Pastoral Education is being offered in the metropolitan area. Many hospitals, and other medical, hospice related facilities and other chaplaincy positions often prefer to have a chaplain with CPE units of learning. Rabbi Blank is also pursuing other educational and meaningful programs, some of which will be in collaboration with the NCYI and Rabbi Binyamin Hammer. We will also be promoting the Siyum HaShas with important information specifically for Rabbonim of shuls and additional information for the entire RAA/Igud membership. We are looking forward to participating in this magnificent event by Agudas Yisrael. Please contact Rabbi Blank for questions you might have at 917-446-2126 or rablenblank@gmail.com.