Spiritual Care Services

Often during the course of serious illnesses, patients and their families and friends can be caught up in a bewildering schedule of medications, treatments, doctor visits, surgeries and tests. They may struggle with fear and uncertainty about decisions and eventual outcomes. Sometimes end-of-life issues must be confronted.

At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, we understand that healing involves the whole person - body, mind, spirit and soul. For this reason, we offer spiritual care services to patients and their loved ones.

Chapel Open to All

Our chapel is open 24 hours a day and available to persons of all faiths.

The chapel is centrally located on the Plaza Level, between the North and South Towers.

Spiritual Support for Patients and Visitors

Patients may request visits with a Cedars-Sinai Chaplain of their choice at any time during their hospital stay. Spiritual counseling appointments may also be arranged with concerned family members. Please call (310) 423-5550 for assistance with any spiritual needs.

Patients and visitors are welcome to ask for help and guidance from any Chaplain. Each Chaplain has training to offer spiritual support to all patients and their loved ones of any spirituality or religion. The Spiritual Care Department can also assist with contacting community clergy of a particular faith or religion.

Religious Services

Recorded Shabbat services are available on Fridays at 3:15 p.m. and on Saturdays at 9:00 p.m. on Channel 50 (in-house closed circuit television).

Catholic mass is celebrated in the chapel at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays and at 1:30 p.m. on Sundays, unless otherwise announced. Mass is also broadcast live to patient rooms on Channel 50.

Religious Observances

For Jewish Patients and Their Families:

  • Shabbat (Sabbath) candles
  • Sabbath and holiday elevator
  • Jewish Sabbath observance
  • Cedars-Sinai Campus Map for Sabbath observance
  • Kosher food is available in the Employee Cafeteria and the Plaza Café. Patients are offered a kosher meal plan, featuring fresh food cooked in our kosher kitchen, certified by the Rabbinical Council of California. For more information call (310) 423-4444 or (310) 423-4797.
  • Local Kosher restaurants and markets*
  • Local area hotels*
  • Pre-Sabbath taped services (televised Friday at 3:15 p.m. on Channel 50)
  • Post-Sabbath taped services (televised Saturday at 9 p.m. on Channel 50)
  • "Healing through Jewish Songs and Stories" (televised daily at 1:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Channel 50)
  • Pre-taped holiday services (televised on Channel 50)
  • Yahrzeit observance
  • Brit Milah/Circumcision assistance
  • Jewish Calendar (2006-2015)*
  • Rabbi Weiner's Study Session every Tuesday at 12:00 noon in the Chapel on the Plaza Level, broadcast live to patient rooms on Channel 50
  • A traveling Torah
  • A communal Sukkah
  • Kosher Mezuzot on all doorways
  • The Jewish Chaplaincy Annual Report to the Community

Special Note about Brit Milah/Circumcision:

To accommodate parents wishing to observe the Jewish tradition of brit milah, Cedars-Sinai's Spiritual Care Department can help make arrangements for a mohel to perform the circumcision. Recommended mohels are experienced and technically trained in this surgery. In the event a mohel is not available, one of our knowledgeable Jewish staff physicians may perform the brit after consulting with a rabbi.

For Christian Patients and Their Families: (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Non-Denominational)

  • Roman Catholic Mass is celebrated in the chapel at 12:00 p.m.on Wednesday and Fridays and at 1:30 p.m. on Sundays, broadcast live to patient rooms on Channel 50.
  • Anointing of the Sick
  • Sacrament of Reconciliation
  • Communion
  • Services on important Christian holidays such as Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Easter, televised on Channel 50
  • Emergency baptisms
  • New Testament and Bibles
  • Devotional reading and Holy Cards
  • Rosaries
  • Music for Healing volunteer gospel/worship singers

For All:

  • Assistance contacting community clergy
  • Visits by Chaplaincy Department volunteers
  • Inspirational programs on Channel 50

For More Information

For further details about religious and spiritual services and programs at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, please contact the Spiritual Care office at (310) 423-5550 or one of the Chaplains directly:


*You will need the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to view and print these documents from your desktop. If you do not have this software, you may download it FREE from Adobe's website.

print button
WP3