About Rabbi Mann
After completing 30 years of Medical Practice as a Hematologist and Oncologist, Dr. Mann began an exploration of the field of Spiritual Care. This led him to train and work as a Hospital Chaplain. Dr. Mann was ordained as a Spiritual Director in 2017, and received his Rabbinic Ordination from the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal in 2018.
Rabbi Mann’s unique life experience as both a spiritual care provider and physician has enabled him to teach physicians, chaplains, and patient advocacy groups about the healing power of relationships and the intimate and powerful connection between spirituality and medicine. He has spoken at the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and was invited to be the Gold Humanism visiting Professor at the Brown University’s Alpert School of Medicine.
Rabbi Mann focuses his Spiritual Direction work on helping others find their connection to the sources of deepest meaning in their lives. Rabbi Mann sees his role as a spiritual director as a time of providing compassionate presence and discernment. His hope is that the time spent providing spiritual direction will help his clients remove any obstacles that prevent them from finding their unique spiritual journey.
Rabbi Mann also offers classes that open up new ways of understanding and personalizing Jewish rituals and the weekly Torah portion.
Rabbi Mann shares his life with his wife Belle, his children, Gideon, Elana, Jean-Paul, Sherry and his three amazing grandchildren Nina, Teo, and Misha. He lives in Pasadena, California.
Curriculum Vitae
Education and Ordinations
1971 BA University of Pennsylvania
1975 MD George Washington University Medical School with Distinction
1999 MPH Boston University School of Public Health, Health Law and Medical Ethics Concentration
2009-10 Chaplaincy residency, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR
2017 Spiritual Direction Ordination, Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal
2018 Rabbinic Ordination, Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal
Post Doctoral Training
Internships and Residencies in Medicine and Spiritual Care
1975-1976 Intern, Harvard Medical Service, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA
1976-1977 Resident, Harvard Medical Service, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA
2009-2010 Chaplain Resident Pastoral Care, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR
Fellowships
1977-1980 Hematology-Oncology, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
1978-1979 Assistant Investigator, Center for Blood Research, Boston, MA
1979-1980 Blood Bank Fellowship, Northeast Regional Red Cross, Boston, MA
Additional Training
1995 Commonweal Cancer Support Program Tradecraft Program with Dr. Rachel Remen, Bolinas, CA
Certifications
1977 American Board of Internal Medicine
1978 American Board of Internal Medicine, Subspecialty Oncology
1979 American Board of Internal Medicine, Subspecialty Hematology
Academic Appointments
1981-2000 Clinical Instructor, Boston University Medical School, Boston, MA
1981-2000 Clinical Instructor, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
2009-2010 Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR
Hospital Appointments
1980-2000 Boston Medical Center, Boston University Medical School, Hematology-Oncology Service, Boston, MA
1980-2000 Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Hematology-Oncology Chairman Cancer Committee, Melrose, MA
1999-2000 Hallmark Health Care System, Ethics Committee Chairman, Boston, MA
2000-2009 Northwest Permanente P.C., Physician, Department of Hematology Oncology, Portland, OR
Teaching Experience
1980-2000 Moderator of Tumor Board, Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Melrose, MA
1981-1986 Ward attending, University Hospital Medical Service, Boston Medical Center, Hematology-Oncology Consult Service, Boston University Medical School, Boston, MA
1995-1997 Physical Diagnosis Instructor, Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA
1996-1998 Hematology-Oncology Service Attending, Consult Service, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Medical School, Boston, MA
2008- 2011 Instructor, Patient-Physician Communication Skills Course, Kaiser Permanente NW Education Department, Portland, OR
2011-2013 Instructor, Verbatim Seminar, Clinical Pastoral Education, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR
2012-2015 Lecturer, NW Permanente Residency Program on Spirituality and Medicine and Exploring the Patient Provider Relationship, Portland, OR
2016-Present Adjunct Educator, Methodist Hospital Of CA, CPE Program, Arcadia, CA
2016-Present Adjunct Educator, Academy for Jewish Religion Of California, Los Angeles, CA
Invited Lectures
Medical Lectures
1980-2000 “New Advances In Medical Oncology,” Yearly Presentation Medical Grand Rounds, Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Melrose, MA
1997 “Discussing the Diagnosis of Cancer; Is There a Good Way to Give Bad News?,” Guthrie Memorial Medical Ethics Lecture Series, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Medford, MA
1999 “A Joint Value System for Administration and Medical Staff: A Return to Service Ideals,” Pastoral Care Day, Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Melrose, MA
2010 “Developing Empathy as an Exam Room Skill,” National College of Natural Medicine, Portland, OR
Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Lectures
2010 “How Oncologists Think: A Guide for Chaplains,” Providence Portland Medical Center, Pastoral Care Department, Portland, OR, Staff Development Lecture,
2010 “Medicine and Spirituality, Partners in Healing,” Grand Rounds Presentation, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR
2111 “Physicians and Chaplains Bridging the Gaps,” Educational Program, Association for Pastoral Care, Portland, OR
2111 “Jewish Spiritual Practice and the Role of the Chaplain,” Staff Development Conference, Providence Portland Medical Center, Pastoral Care Department, Portland, OR
2012 “Chaplain’s Role in Palliative Care,” Supportive Care Conference St. Vincent’s Hospital, Portland, OR
2013 “The Chaplains’ Voice,” National Webinar for Supportive Care Coalition, Portland, OR
2013 “What Can Chaplains Teach and Learn from Physicians?,” National Association of Jewish Chaplains Conference presentation, Scottsdale, AZ
2014 “Having Your Voice Heard in the Medical Environment,” National Association of Jewish Chaplains Conference Presentation, FL
2014 “Spirituality and Medicine Partners in Healing,” Brown Medical School Gold Humanism Lecture, Providence, RI
2014 “Difficult Conversations Discussing an Adverse Prognosis, ” Brown Medical School Pediatric Grand Rounds, Providence, RI
2015 “Spirituality as a Healing Resource,” Us Too, Prostate Support 25th Anniversary Educational Symposium, Chicago, IL
2019 “Sharpening out ears and opening our hearts to support others who are in spiritual distress,” Academy for Jewish Religion, Los Angeles, CA
Classes
2017 “Exploring the Prayerbook,” Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Pasadena, CA
2017 “The Book of Ruth,” Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Pasadena, CA
2018 “Kabbalistic Teachings about Shabbat,” Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Pasadena, CA
2018-Present “Exploring your life through Torah; weekly discussion class,” Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Pasadena, CA
2019 “The Prophet’s Voice; The Book of Isaiah,” Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Pasadena, CA
Awards and Honors
1971 Lange Medical Book Award, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1973 NIH Summer Research Scholarship, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1974 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1974 William Beaumont Student Research Scholarship, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1975 C.V. Mosby Book Award, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1975 John Ordinaux Award for Valedictorian of Medical School Class, George Washington University Medical School, Washington, DC
1999 Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
2014 Gold Humanism Visiting Professor, Warren Albert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
Other Awards
2000 Guide to Top Doctors, Center for the Study of Services, “America’s Top Rated Physicians,” Hematology-Oncology, Boston, MA
2008 Portland Monthly Magazine, “Top Doctors in Portland, OR,” Hematology-Oncology
2009 Portland Monthly Magazine, “Top Doctors in Portland, OR,” Hematology-Oncology
Professional Society Memberships
Ohalah Rabbinic Association
Southern California Board of Rabbis
Publications
Mann, Jason, Affronti, LF, Leichner, J, “Tumorcidal Effect of Heterologous MIF on L1210 Tumors in BDF 1 Mice,” Fed Proc, April 1974
Mann, Jason, O’Brien, R, Hostetter, MK, et al., “The Third Component of Complement Covalent Attachment of a Radioactive Sugar to the Labile Binding Site of C3 Via the Alternative Pathway,” J of Immunology, 126 (6), June 1981
Lopez, JA, Mann, Jason, Gropski, R, Krikorian, JG, “Salvage Chemotherapy of Refractory Small Cell Cancer of the Lung with VP-16 and Cis-Platinum,” ASCO Abstract, April 1982
Mann, Jason, “Chaplains and Physicians,” The National Association of Jewish Chaplains’ Newsletter, April 2013
Mann, Jason, “Changing Aleph to Ayin,” Kol Aleph, April 2014
Mann, Jason, “An Appreciation of Tears,” The National Association of Jewish Chaplains’ Newsletter, March 2016
Mann, Jason, “A Path to Greatness,” The National Association of Jewish Chaplains’ Newsletter, January 2016
Mann, Jason, “May We Lift Up Our Face to Shine on Others,” The National Association of Jewish Chaplains’ Newsletter, April 2017
Mann, Jason, “A Teaching for Tisha B’Av – Moving from How to What Now?,” Kol Aleph, August 2017
Mann, Jason, “Building the Ark of a Spiritual Care Encounter,” The National Association of Jewish Chaplains’ Newsletter, June 2019
Professional Interests
The doctor-patient relationship
Spirituality and medicine
Mentoring doctors and chaplains
Spiritual direction