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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Rabbi Samuel E. Karff of Houston has enriched the |
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lives of many through his scholarship, his compassion, and his |
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commitment to the spiritual dimension of healing; and |
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WHEREAS, A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University, |
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Rabbi Karff was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute |
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of Religion, where he earned a doctor of Hebrew letters degree in |
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rabbinic theology in 1956; he served as an Air Force chaplain and |
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led congregations in a number of cities across the country before |
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becoming senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Houston in |
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1975; for more than two decades, his radio show has drawn listeners |
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of all faiths; and |
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WHEREAS, Rabbi Karff has served as the editor of The Journal |
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of Reform Judaism and is the author of such books as The Soul of the |
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Rav, Agada: The Language of Jewish Faith, and Permission to |
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Believe: Finding Faith in Troubled Times, which was published by |
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the Abingdon Press in 2005; moreover, he wrote the chapters on |
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Judaism for Religions of the World, a textbook used by some 200 |
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colleges, and has taught at Notre Dame University and the |
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University of Chicago Divinity School; he was a lecturer in the |
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Department of Religious Studies at Rice University from 1977 to |
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2001; and |
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WHEREAS, Drawing from his own experiences as a hospital |
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patient, Rabbi Karff developed the Sacred Vocation Program to |
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create enduring, beneficial changes in health care by helping |
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caregivers understand the emotional and spiritual aspects of |
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healing and find greater purpose in their work; the pilot project at |
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St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital became the Sacred Vocation |
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Partnership, a collaboration between St. Luke's and The University |
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of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; the program has since |
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been instituted at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and |
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two clinics in Houston, and is currently scheduled to be |
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implemented in three additional health care facilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Rabbi Karff accepted emeritus status at |
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Congregation Beth Israel in 1999; he became founder and director of |
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the Health and Human Spirit Program at the Health Science Center, |
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which in 2004 was expanded into the newly formed McGovern Center, |
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and Rabbi Karff currently serves as its associate director and as a |
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visiting professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the |
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Health Science Center; he is also on the board of the Texas Medical |
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Center Houston and lectures extensively in this country and abroad; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A former president of the Central Conference of |
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American Rabbis, Rabbi Karff serves on the boards of the Institute |
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of Religion, the Coalition for Mutual Respect, and the |
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Anti-Defamation League, and is a former member of the executive |
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committee and the board of trustees of the United Way of the Texas |
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Gulf Coast; and |
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WHEREAS, This eminent scholar and religious leader has been a |
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source of profound inspiration through his dedication to nourishing |
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the human spirit and to illuminating the connection between |
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physical, emotional, and spiritual healing; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Rabbi Samuel E. Karff for his remarkable |
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contributions and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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success in his endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Rabbi Karff as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Edwards |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2616 was adopted by the House on May |
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31, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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