Completing the RCA-Ematai advance healthcare directive

No one knows the path that their healthcare journey will take them on. Completing the RCA-Ematai advance healthcare directive ensures that your healthcare decisions will be made by the person of your choice and according to your Jewish values.

The RCA-Ematai advance healthcare directive was created with the advice of leading poskim, rabbis, healthcare professionals, social workers, and lawyers.

This is a simple and easy-to-understand legal document that must be signed & witnessed. 

  • Designate your healthcare proxy 
  • Direct your proxy to make decisions in accordance with your Jewish values
  • Designate a rabbinic consultant

Gift your loved ones with the clarity and knowledge to speak on your behalf.

Versions of the RCA-Ematai healthcare directive are currently available for the United States, Ontario, and Quebec. For Ematai guides to creating a power of attorney in the UK click here and for Israel click here.

Please contact us for more information.
The conversation guide, included below, is not a legal document and may be used anywhere in the world.

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The Conversation Guide

Family members may need to choose a plan of care in the face of medical uncertainties. Given the individualized nature of each case, end-of-life decision making requires a thoughtful and personalized approach.

By completing this guide, you will help those that care for you – your proxy, family, rabbi, and healthcare providers – to better understand your goals and preferences so they can apply them to each unique situation. The Conversation Guide will help you navigate the conversations which are difficult to start but essential to have.  It is a gift to your loved ones to provide them with greater clarity and avoid tensions or guilt caused by speculating about your values and preferences. Meaningful conversations bring families together.

The RCA-Ematai conversation guide is not a formal legal directive.  It does not need to be signed or witnessed and may be used anywhere in the world. The ultimate goal is to generate healthy communication and ongoing conversations about these topics in an open and loving manner.

Illustration: Store your Netivot healthcare Documents

Store your RCA-Ematai healthcare directive in the cloud for 24/7/365 emergency access through our partnership with USACPR.

An account with USACPR also provides a wallet sized emergency access card.

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Special State Requirements

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Residents of Wisconsin, Texas, New Hampshire, or Ohio

must download and print your state’s mandatory disclosure statement. You should review the mandatory disclosure statement before you sign your healthcare directive.  The mandatory disclosure statement must be attached and stored together with the healthcare directive.

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Residents of Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, & West Virginia

must sign the healthcare directive before two witnesses and a notary. Notarization is optional for everyone else. A notarization form is provided on the directive’s signature page.

This advance directive is a free service to the community.

You are encouraged to consult with your own attorney for any questions about your specific needs or local requirements. Nothing on this website or within any element of the RCA-Ematai healthcare directive or conversation guide constitutes the offer of legal advice from Ematai or the Rabbinical Council of America.

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