Carolina Alumni Review - November/December 2009

Certified Whippersnapper

Likis said she became interested in the field
after observing
midwives during
an internship with
a nurse-practition-
er in Alabama.

It’s known as the “Young Whippersnapper

Award,” which might seem appropriate for 2009 winner Frances Estes Likis ’06 (DRPH), a certified nurse-midwife who has attended more than 300 births. But the award, more formally the Kitty Ernst Award, refers more to Likis than the babies. The American College of Nurse-

Midwives gives it to a midwife certified for less than 10 years who has demonstrated innovative, creative endeavors in midwifery, women’s health clinical practice, education, administration or research.

COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF NURSE-MIDWIVES

Frances Estes Likis ’06 dons the signature purple hat and feather boa presented to the winner of the Kitty Ernst Award from the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Likis, who earned her nurse-midwife certification in 2000, has written a popular text,

“I never knew that you could attend births without being a physician,” Likis says. “I didn’t know much about birth — maybe having seen it on television. I remember being totally amazed. I am still totally amazed.

Women’s Gynecologic Health, and serves as editor of the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health and associate director of graduate studies for the Institute of Medicine and Public Health at

1939 by Mary Breckenridge, who was born to
a wealthy, Lexington, Ky., plantation family and
schooled in Europe. After los-
ing two children of her own
to illness, Breckenridge turned
to public health, studied the
conditions of her native state
and devoted herself to train-
ing midwives in rural areas.
The connection between
midwifery and public health
brought Likis to UNC for
her doctorate. She says people
often have a narrow connota-
tion of midwives and the role
they play. “When people
think about midwives, they
think about birth at home,”
Likis says. Her research showed that many
midwives followed their patients before and
after births, in clinics, homes and hospitals. “For
many of us, there is a strong interest in gyne-
cology.”

I just thought, I want to be there, I want to do this.”

Likis completed her certification at the

Frontier School in Hyden, Ky. , founded in

Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Asked about her current hands-off position as an editor and educator, Likis laughs: “Right now, I guess I am helping give birth to midwives.”

MUSIC

Cantor Uses Rhyme for a Reason

A few years ago, in
his role as cantor at
Temple Israel in
Charlotte, he was
asked to join other
staff members in lead-
ing an all-night study
session. Thinking that
spirits might be flag-
ging late into the
night, Roochvarg
decided to present his
sedrah, or reading,
Exodus 10:1–13: 16, in
rap style. It was so
well-received that
Roochvarg set about
putting the Torah into verse. This year he pub-
lished Well-Versed in Scripture: The First Five
Books of the Bible in Contemporary Rhyme.
“The tone is clearly B-flat, but I transpose
to C,” Roochvarg says, then shifts from wit to
seriousness. “I could have called it Well-Versed
in Torah, but I chose Scripture because I am
hoping that this will appeal to Christian read-
ers as well. I want the playful tone and the
irreverence to be attractive to everyone with-
out barriers.”

Cantor Elias Roochvarg ’ 71 likes to explain his profession with a story. A rabbi asks his preschool class, “What does the cantor do?”

“He sings!” they respond. “And what does the rabbi do?” “He announces the pages!”

Roochvarg laughs at that wonderfully literal view of the Jewish service. His sense of humor has been a longtime complement to his singing, which he sees as a creative way to convey the liturgy, the tenets of religion, to the congregation. That strategy has led him lately to some very modern variations.

Elias Roochvarg ’ 71 has a way with words when it comes to his role as cantor. His singing, raps and rhymes are aimed at making religious tenets accessible to various audiences.

MICHAEL ROOCHVARG

Excerpt of Elias Roochvarg’s rhyme based on
Torah Portion BO, Exodus 10:1–13: 16
. . . From every house in Egypt there arose such a cry!
From Pharaoh on his throne to the cattle in the field,
All the firstborn died. Now the Pharaoh HAD to yield!
In the middle of the night, he summoned Moses & AaRON
And said, “Kumu, tze’u! Get out! Begone!
Take your children & your flocks. Take them all with you!
Oh, & o ne more thing: Would you bless me too?”
The Egyptians urged the slaves to leave in haste.
“Hey man, we’re all dyin’! Just get outta our face!”
We took unleavened dough on this mystery trip,
Very happy to be freed from the taskmasters' whip.
From the dough we baked matzah, as is known by everyone.
There are a few more laws, & then the sedrah is done.
Now what is the lesson we can learn from BO?
Does my poe m have a purpose, or is it only a show? . . .
. . . the Hebrew words, YA’ANENU B’KOL
Mean that God didn’t speak in the same voice to all.
Moses heard one voice, & the elders heard another.
Likewise we, as fathers & mothers,
Need to teach each child in a “voice” he understands
The importance of observing all of God’s commands.
This pedagogic principle, my sister & my brudda,
Is the basis for the story of t he 4 sons in the Haggadah . . .