Rachel Naomi Remen—Beloved Friend, Healer, Teacher

Dear Commonweal Community,

As if one Yiddishe Mama (that’s a Jewish Mother) wasn’t enough… When I arrived at Commonweal more than a decade ago, Rachel Naomi Remen was one of the first people I met. Even at that time, she rarely came into the Bolinas office, so she invited me to her house balanced on the edge of Mt. Tamalpais and she took me under her wing. It was the beginning of a connection that ended last Friday—I spoke words of goodbye to her while my husband held the phone to her ear. Rachel died the following day.

So many stories have been emerging since then. She was a friend, mentor, guide, teacher, influencer, and inspiration for doctors and medical patients, people living with cancer, and those who read her books. More than half a million copies of her best-selling book Kitchen Table Wisdom have been sold in many languages all over the world.

Michael Lerner and Rachel started the Cancer Help Program at Commonweal 40 years ago. Rachel was already an accomplished medical doctor. She ran pediatrics at Stanford (we heard many stories about her time being the only woman on the hospital management team). As medical director of our Cancer Help Program at Commonweal, it was not only her “medical” counsel that was essential—it was also the insight, soul, creativity, and wisdom that she wove into the retreats. She reviewed the charts and spoke the name of every person who came through the Cancer Help Program. She brought this same depth and beauty to her work with medical students at the Remen Institute for the Study of Health and Illness, and everyone around her.

Rachel often used a process called Sandtray with program participants in our cancer work as well as with physicians that she gathered at Commonweal. People created a tableau, in a tray full of sand, with objects they selected through a guided process. They created an art piece through this group process, and it spoke to them, often bringing healing. She had healthcare workers bring special objects that represented their calling, and with them told stories and created a community altar. That same creative spirit runs through many of our programs—our healing programs, leadership programs, our gatherings, and the shows in our art gallery. You can read more about some of these below in our newsletter.

A special celebration of Rachel’s life will be held at Commonweal on October 3 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Pacific. Please join us in person or on Zoom. If you have stories about Rachel, please share them on her Legacy page so that we can all connect with her work through your stories.

I will miss Rachel in the physical realm—her voice, guidance, wisdom, humor, and love. But her words and spirit will continue to pulse among our Commonweal Cancer Help Program alumni, the many physicians who have been through her Healer’s Art programs, and the many, many more who have read her books or been touched by her words. Her memory will always be a blessing.

With love and gratitude,

Oren Slozberg
Executive Director, Commonweal

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Photo: Rachel Naomi Remen with Rabbi Irwin Keller, from podcast episode "Life Wisdom from a Lifelong Healer"

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