I love the story I know as “the Rabbi’s gift” (JAMA. 2001;286:648-650). It tells of a once grand monastery that fell upon hard times. In desperation, the abbot consulted with his friend, a rabbi from a nearby town. After reflecting on the dilemma, the rabbi told his colleague that he had no answers or suggestions. He added, though, that one among the monks was the messiah. The abbot returned with this peculiar message. The monks tried to understand. Could one among them be the messiah? They began, slowly but surely, to treat one another, and themselves, with more respect, for perhaps one of them was the messiah. Gradually, the monastery transformed, flourished, and again became a beacon for others.
Perhaps this is where we need to begin, cherishing everyone’s unique individuality, remembering that we are all deserving of respect. This is a fundamental message we attempt to communicate in our novel humanities and medical humanism curriculum. It generalizes.
Dr. Panush is chair of the department of medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry–New Jersey Medical School in Livingston. He is moving soon to be professor of medicine, division of rheumatology, department of medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
