Rami's Blog

Like the Yin-Yang, Eastern Martial Arts and Western medicine are two halves of a whole. My mission is to preserve the ancient mind-body tools and pass them on to you.

 

The Zakim Story & Prayer, Part 3

I often ask myself, “Is it coincidence, or destiny, that I am a descendants of Zakim or Zakheim?”

I, a Tai Chi/Chi Kung practitioner from Jerusalem, Israel, was one of the first ones to be around when Dana-Farber was beginning to first consider complimentary approaches. And then, two years later, I had the opportunity to introduce mind-body approaches in a very limited way to their patients. Two years after that, I had the privilege of being around for the historical moment when Lenny took over and led the creation of the Zakim center. Before Lenny joined, we tried for a few years but it wasn’t enough; I had class only once a week, which moved from room to room. We had many meetings and lots of discussions, but it looked like it was going nowhere.

But within a few years of Lenny taking the lead, he was able to bring about such amazing progress compared to what was done before. No wonder he was what people call “a mover and shaker!”

Of course, he had help from other individuals such as: 

Cynthia Medeiros 

Dr. Lee Marshall Nadler

Dr. Paul Richardson

Dr. Kenneth Anderson

Anne Doherty-Gilman

Susan DeCristofaro

Meredith Beaton/Starr and her husband Billy Starr

Rick Kaitz and Erica Kaitz, both of whom paid for my Tai Chi and Chi Kung class at Dana-Farber before the Zakim center had any money. Erica passed away, unfortunately, from a rare form of Cancer.

Close friends of Joyce and Lenny such as Carol and Dennis Kanin, the Schwartz, and Laura Molta (who does the great video, for free, every year!).

The center has also had help from special, powerful individuals who wanted to help in appreciation of the results they received from mind-body intervention while going through Cancer. Individuals such as Larry Lucchino and others.

(P.S. Sorry if I missed or did not mention other individuals who helped and are a big part of helping lead the Zakim center to where it is today!)

One of the special individuals that keeps leading and promoting the center (and Lenny’s legacy) is Joyce Zakim, Lenny’s wife, who I have known since the day I met Lenny. Joyce is one of the kindest and nicest individuals I have ever met. Always wearing a smile, always positive and cheerful and down to earth. Her constant time and energy, and that of a group of supporters and friends to her and Lenny, are one of the main reasons for the recognition and success of the Zakim center today.

THE MEDICAL DIRECTORS OF THE ZAKIM CENTER

Over the years, there were three individuals/directors whose leadership and direction allowed the Zakim Center to make huge steps forward in operations and recognition. Their personal time, passion, positive thinking, wisdom, and amazing personalities are what led the Zakim Center to where it is today.

DR. PAUL RICHARDSON

The first Zakim director, an unbelievably charismatic individual, is Dr. Paul Richardson. Dr. Richardson put a strong emphasis on research and achieving recognition through scientific research. While Dr. Richardson was the director, we were able to conduct a small visibility study.

In addition to that study, we wrote a paper: “QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CANCER PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES WITH AND REASONS FOR INTENSIVELY PURSUING QIGONG, A CHINESE MEDITATIVE EXERCISE THERAPY,” as well as a Pilot Study of “12 weeks of Qigong as Gentle Mind-body Exercise for Metastatic Breast Cancer.” And finally, we presented a poster at a cancer research conference with the title "Pilot Study in Metastatic Breast Cancer of Diurnal Cortisol Variability, Mood and Muscle Strength Associated with a 12-week Program of Qigong as Mind-Body Exercise.”

Dr. Paul Richardson was offered the position of principle investigator (PI) in a treatment study for Multiple Myeloma, a treatment which then tremendously improved the rate off success with Multiple Myeloma. In the video, Dr. Richardson summarizes novel agents and combinations used for treating multiple myeloma. Key strategies include targeting protein degradation, restoring immune function, and combination therapy.

If Lenny had survived a few more years, perhaps this treatment could have prolonged his life for another 10 years, or maybe even put his cancer into remission; such is the world of Cancer. See Lenny's Story: Cancer and the Quality of Life.

DR. DAVID ROSENTHAL

The second Zakim Center director was Dr. David Rosenthal. Dr. Rosenthal is a great man, whose patience and huge heart will just melt you as you are working with him. He is smart, humble, down to earth and a loving individual to patients, colleagues, and his lovely and kind wife, Judy. Dr. Rosenthal was a great leader and promoter for the Zakim Center and his well established and recognized leadership in the traditional medical world brought the Zakim Center great acknowledgment and recognition.

Both Dr. Rosenthal and his wife, Judy Rosenthal, were instrumental in bringing the “Hope Lodge” to Boston. I met so many individuals and families that saved so much money by staying at the Hope Lodge, which also and allowed them to better receive their treatments in the Boston area. 

DR. JENNIFER LIGIBEL

The third and current medical director, and a very important individual to the Zakim Center, is Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, who started in 2014 and is our present Zakim Center director as well as a breast cancer oncologist. Dr. Ligibel is one of the smartest people I have ever met (along with my mother Professor Zichria Zakay/Rones and her research with Cancer, and my father in-law Dr. Irwin Harold Rosenberg, also known as Isaac.) Dr. Ligibel is such a kind, thoughtful, and funny individual, and her dedication and passion is another large reason for the success and recognition of our center. I am proud and honored to work under her at the Zakim Center. Her research is impressive, to say the least, and she is one of the leading scientist and expert in both exercise and diet benefits to Cancer patients and survivors.

After the event, Dr. Ligibel sent a beautiful and touching email to the Zakim Center staff that I would like to share it with you:

“Dear Zakim Team-

I wanted to echo Joyce’s words last night in thanking you all for your hard work—some of you for more than a decade and some for not quite so long—in making the Zakim Center be a place of restoration and healing for our patients.

At the end of the day, what makes the Zakim Center great is all of you—the energy and devotion you bring to work each and every day, whether you work with patients directly, make the center’s appointments and programs flow seamlessly, or build the research base supporting what we do.

I hope you all listened to the words of the patients in the video and saw how much you work has meant to their lives, and saw how inspiring your work was to all of the people at Music Heals the Soul last night. For those of you who could not join us (we missed you!), we will make sure that you have a link to watch the beautiful video that so nicely depicted our new center and highlighted the difference the Zakim Center makes to our patients.

Thank you for all that you do. I look forward to further Lenny’s vision as we work to foster and grow our center.

Jennifer”

Dr. Ligibel’s right hand assistant, Victoria Kennedy, is another great person contributing to the Zakim Center. And I can’t forget Meghan Mcloughlin! Another great and kind individual she is our program coordinator.

THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE HONORED THIS YEAR

Picture of our Zakim Center Team

Cynthia Medeiros has also been at Dana-Farber since before the Zakim Center was created, as well as during the creation. Cynthia is actually one of the pioneers and main reason for the creation of the center. She was, and still is, a friend of the Zakim family. She rides the PMC, the Pan-Mass Challenge, every year on team Lenny to support the Zakim Center and Lenny’s dream.

Dr. David Rosenthal, who I wrote about above, served as the previous Zakim medical director.

Acupuncturist Zhi ping Li, who has been at the Zakim Center since 2002.

Acupuncturist Weidong Lu, who has been with the Zakim Center since its opening in 2000. Dr. Weidong Lu has been involved in very interesting research about acupuncture and cancer. 

Here are some of his research publications:

Oncology massages Maria “Bamby” Mathay which you can also see in the short video by Laura Molta.

Massage therapist Theresa Ochenkoski.

And last; Tai Chi, Chi Kung and meditation teacher Ramel Rones (Rami).

Here are some of Ramel Rones’ publications:

Ramel Rones e mail to the Zakim staff:

“Hi,

Thank you to everybody and for Joyce and Jennifer’s kind words; it is an honor to be a part of the Zakim team and Tuesday night will be a night that I will never forget. It is a good reminder that hard work, knowledge, and humility are the key elements of our work; thank you.

In the Tai Chi classics it is said; “when moving move as a great river when standing be as still as a mountain” the Zakim Center and its staff are a true testimonial to those words.

Ramel Rones (Rami)”

THE GIFT/AWARD EACH ONE OF THE HONOREES RECEIVED

Some words from the Zakim family:

“Our dad worked tirelessly to create The Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies which is dedicated to integrating the practice of complementary therapies into traditional cancer treatment. The Center provides complementary therapies and education to patients, families, and staff, and advances knowledge of the effectiveness and outcomes of integrative therapies through peer-reviewed, evidence-based clinical research. You can try the therapies at the event!”

By Lenny’s children: Josh, Shari, and Deena.

And as usual, happy stretching, deep breathing, empty your mind, strengthen your energetic system, and evoke your spirit!

The Zakim Story & Prayer, Part 2

The Zakim Name

There are many variations of the name - Zak, Zakay, Sackhiem, Zakheim, meaning “They are of the Holy Seed” - הם קודש זרע    Zakim in Hebrew stands for “the seeds of holy people” and there is an interesting story behind this name.

The first people to call themselves Zakheim or “Zera Kodesh Heim” were the descendants of Rabbi Israel, one of the martyrs of Ruzhany who perished on the second day of Rosh Hashanah in September 9, 1659 or the year 5420 in the Jewish calendar. 

The Zakim Story & Zakim Prayer

The story started with a blood libel (עלילת דם) against the Jews which was very common during that period. The hatred towards Jews was very strong in those years. The Khmelnytsky pogroms killed thousands of Jews ten years earlier. 

The events leading to the martyrdom began in the spring of 1657 just before Passover in a small Lithuanian-Polish town of Belarus when the body of a murdered Christian child was discovered in the yard of one of the Jewish inhabitants. The entire Christian community rose up in anger and soon the story began to circulate that the Jewish needed the blood of the child in order to make matzos. A court was convened to find and punish the guilty person or persons. 

Since the perpetrators were unknown, the entire Jewish community was sentenced to death with the provison that the death sentence upon the community would be lifted if the guilty one or ones confessed. The Jewish community was in turmoil since they did not know who had committed the murder. What could they do? The community elders tried but not come up with a solution to their problem. There was no reasoning with the local Christian peasants who were led by religious fanatics.

In order to spare the Jewish community, the town's two rabbis, Israel and Tuvia, confessed to the deed and were sentenced to death. Grateful for the reprieve, the Jewish tried to think of a plan to save the two Rabbis. A committee was formed and sent to the king of Poland who had sovereignty over that area. The committee members hoped to plead their case and thus obtained a pardon for their leaders. The emissaries traveled for many weeks and months until they obtained an audience with the king. They pleaded their case and the king granted the pardon. 

With great joy they began their way back home. As they neared their destination, they realized that the next day was Rosh Hashanah. So they stopped in a nearby town to pray and wait after the holy day. On Friday September 9, 1659, the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the death sentence was carried out. The emissaries arrived with the pardon one day too late.

Translated by Professor George Zakim, from Chicago, who dedicated his life to researching the roots of the Zakim family . Thirteen generations are known.

”Scattered Seeds” by George I. Sackheim

The Zakim Prayer in memory of their sacrafice

According to the book “Daat Kedoshim” the prayer for forgiveness was written in Hebrew on a parchment and is stored in the Beit Midrash of Ruzhany. It was a donation of the leader Yosef the son of Tzvi of holy blessed memory in the year 5484 (1724) in Ruzhany formulated to be recited in the synagogues of Ruzhany annually on Yom Kippur. To this day, the residents of Ruzhany follow this custom in the Beit Midrash Lecha'k Gachsh'a and in the Beit Midrash of Rabbi Gershon.

“… Forgive us our Father
for we have erred through our great foolishness 
Pardon us our King, for our sins are many. 
Our G-d, you are slow to anger, and you have been called the Master of Mercy 
You have taught us path to repentance 
the greatness of your mercy and goodness 
you should remember this day and every day for the children of your close ones. 
Turn to us with mercy, for You are the Master of Mercy 
We have come before You with supplication and prayer 
As you have showed to the humble one (Moses) in times of yore. 
Recant your angry wrath 
as is written in Your Torah 
Let us dwell and be protected in the shade of your wings 
as on the day that G-d came down in a cloud. 
Overlook rebellion and wipe out our guilt 
as on the day that you stood with him there. 
Harken to our prayer and listen to our statements 
As on the day that You called out in the name of G-d, as is said there……”

For more go to The Martyrs Translated by Jerrold Landau

Next week I will share with you the names of the honorees, as well as great pictures, from the Dana-Farber event I first mentioned last week. Keep reading!

And as always, happy stretching, deep breathing, empty your mind, strengthen your energetic system, and evoke your spirit!

The Zakim Story & Prayer, Part 1

The Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Every year, the Zakim Center for integrative therapies at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has an annual event/fundraiser called “Music Heals the Soul” which honors Lenny Zakim. Each year, the event also recognizes special honorees of the year. This year, they chose individuals who have been in the center since the beginning (or very near the beginning!) to be the honorees.

Check out the short video from this year, May 1st, 2018, done by Laura Molta of Molta Media.

The event Music Heals the Soul is a fun filled night of musical performances and exciting auctions. Proceeds benefit integrative oncology research and help to provide educational programs to the cancer community at the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The evening also includes a cocktail hour, seated dinner, and complementary therapies from the Zakim Center, which offers integrative therapies such as massage, acupuncture, Tai Chi and qigong. This year we also added musical guest Erich Bergen from the movie “Jersey Boys”.

This year, the Zakim center honored some of the people who have been with the center for many years. Even some, such as me, your humble mind-body blogger, who have been working with these programs before the center was created, and were lucky enough to witness and be a part of history during the creation of the center.

I even had the opportunity and honor to work with Lenny and his son Josh and meet Lenny’s wife Joyce. 

The Zakim Bridge

Many people ask me, “Is the bridge in Boston, the Zakim bridge, named after Lenny?” Yes! It was named after Leonard Zakim, who was a civic leader and a civil right activist who championed “building bridges between peoples”.

For those of you that do not know, I am actually a Zakim as well, from my mother side by Professor Zichria Zakay-Rones.

Lenny Zakim Family Tree

Ramel Rones/ Zakay (Zakheim) Family Tree

Next week I will tell you the meaning of the Zakim name, as well as the story of how the name originated and the prayer that was specially created for the Zakim family. Make sure you are tuning in!

And as usual, happy stretching, deep breathing, empty your mind, strengthen your energetic system, and evoke your spirit!