Rabbi Anthony Fratello’s new book about end of life; Carole Leskin on loneliness

How does a conversation begin about a topic that we can’t talk about–that no one really talks about? Where is the jumping off point to cut through the intellectual definitions and the sterile antiseptic medical terminology to reach a place in which real words, experiences and feelings can be used to speak about the unspeakable? Who has the capability, the depth of experience, the sensitivity, knowledge, or even more, the audacity to give themselves license to discuss our universally shared last act on the planet?

In this episode, Rabbi Address speaks with Rabbi Anthony Fratello,  Eric Kramer, Kellie L Kintz, and Stuart Bagatell, authors of Permission to Die: Candid Conversations about Death and Dying. In the second part of the show, he introduces Carole Leskin, who writes about loneliness among seniors and the experience of aging alone.

About the Guests

Anthony Fratello was born in 1972 in Long Beach, California. In his childhood, Anthony was a member of Temple Beth David, a Reform congregation in Westminster, CA, and was active in BBYO (The B’nai Brith Youth Organization). Rabbi Fratello graduated from Pomona College in 1994, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, and in the summer of 1994, began his studies toward the Rabbinate at the Jerusalem Campus of the Hebrew Union College. He returned to the United States to continue his studies at the Cincinnati campus of HUC-JIR in 1995. In April of 2000, Rabbi Fratello was elected to the pulpit of Temple Shaarei Shalom, in Boynton Beach. Over the last 15 years, the Congregation has grown to over 550 families with more than 300 children in its religious school programs. He has served as the President and Treasurer of the Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis. Rabbi Fratello also served as a board member of the Mandel Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches and the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education.

Carole Leskin taught English and History in the Philadelphia public schools before moving into the Human Resources field. She was a Director of HR, working primarily with global organizations, specializing in Training and Development, Employee Relations and Diversity.

Carole has a Master’s degree in English Education and is a Certified Senior Human Resources Professional and Diversity Recruiter.

Now retired, she writes about the challenges of aging, especially for those who live alone and have no family, a subject that impacts her personally.