Shabbat of Wholeness, Holiness, and Wellness

During Shabbat Lech Lecha and throughout the weekend of Friday, October 15, to Sunday, October 17, 2010, congregations throughout New York City, Westchester, and Long Island joined in the Shabbat of Wholeness, Holiness, and Wellness: Responding to the Mental-Health Needs of Our Congregants, supported by UJA-Federation.

The goal of this special Shabbat was to demonstrate ways in which Jewish congregations and tradition can increase participation, a sense of belonging, hope, and strength — and reduce stigma, isolation, and despair — among people living with anxiety disorders, depression, mental illness, substance abuse, and other forms of emotional and spiritual distress. We hope this program will expand programs already being offered and spark an interest in efforts that will go far beyond the October event. The Shabbat is endorsed by the New York Board of Rabbis and the major Jewish movements — Orthodox Union, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation of Metropolitan New York and New Jersey, Union for Reform Judaism, and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Simply speaking within the synagogue about mental-health issues reduces secrecy and shame, and enables members to begin tapping into the rich communal sources of spiritual support that can be helpful to us all. Creating programs together enables congregations and agencies to share resources, ideas, and experiences.

Thirteen Steps Congregations Are Taking to Respond to Mental-Health Needs in the Community

1. Decreasing a sense of isolation and stigma by incorporating in sermons and educational programs the ways in which faith and a caring community can help with depression, anxiety, and mental illness. Read sermons on mental health:

• "Choosing Life" by Rabbi Jeff Sirkman, Larchmont Temple, Larchmont, New York
• "In the Wilderness" by Rabbi Janet Marder, Congregation Beth Am, Los Altos Hills, California
• "We Have Failed Those Who Suffer From Mental Illness" by Rabbi James L. Simon, Temple Beth Am, Miami, Florida
• "From Darkness to Light: Men and Depression" by Rabbi Adam Raskin, Congregation Beth Torah, Richardson, Texas
• The Bay Area Jewish Healing Center offers educational materials and prayer cards focused on mental health. Here you can find various resources such as Prayers for Mental Illness, 10 Things Your Congregation Can Do to Reduce the Stigma of Mental Illness, Ways to Support Those in Your Community With Mental Illness, and Facts About Mental Illness.

2. Inviting individuals and families who have found a supportive response to their mental-health needs to share their stories in newsletters or at programs.

3. Having up-to-date materials on hand about mental-health treatment resources in all public congregational spaces so they can be picked up without anyone being observed during the week. Learn more about UJA-Federation’s mental-health initiatives:

• Mental Health GPS (Guiding Parents through Services)
• J•1•1 Information & Referral Center

4. Posting suicide-prevention materials and hotline information.

5. Encouraging those who may be suffering silently to consult with clergy.

• Clergy can encourage awareness and empathy for those struggling with emotional distress by speaking about it during services, in newsletters, or at fall meetings welcoming new preschool and religious school parents.

6. Offering text studies and other opportunities to use Jewish ritual and wisdom to provide comfort, strength, and hope to those living with mental-health conditions. Read related text studies:

• Thoughts on Parshat Lech L’cha, Rabbi Pamela Wax, Westchester Jewish Community Services

• Delving Into Texts, Tales, and Psalms: Spiritual Support in the Midst of Emotional Suffering, Rabbi Pamela Wax, Westchester Jewish Community Services

• Texts that Offer Inspiration, Faith, and Wisdom During Difficult Times, Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses

• Images of Darkness and Light, Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses
• Some Jewish Words on Depression, Loss, and Restoration, Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, LCSW, Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services

7. Offering support groups or mentorship to individuals and families living with mental distress.

8. Addressing issues of stress and mental health in newsletters.

• Sample newsletter from Rabbi David A. Schuck at Pelham Jewish Center.

9. Formulating plans for calming congregational responses to traumatic events in the community or individual families.

• Helping Children Deal with Trauma and Building Blocks of Meaningful Response to Traumatic Events in the Community, Sherry Birnbaum, Westchester Jewish Community Services

10. Inviting professional and lay speakers to men’s and women’s groups, parent meetings, senior clubs, and youth groups to discuss the experience of getting help with depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses. There may be mental-health professionals in the congregation who are able to speak about these issues, and mental-health agencies or the National Alliance on Mental Illness may be able to provide inspiring speakers.

11. Providing simple guidelines on how to recognize and find assistance for those showing signs of depression, self-inflicted violence, post-traumatic stress, and other anxiety disorders.

• Recognizing and Responding Effectively to Signs of Emotional Distress Among Adolescents, by Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher, UJA-Federation of New York rabbinic consultant, and Aileen Hoffman, F•E•G•S Health and Human Services System

12. Offering opportunities for members to volunteer at local agencies and in congregational programs that offer help to those living with mental-health issues. Many local organizations could benefit from volunteers, and the very act of joining together to help others offers opportunities for socializing, actualizing Jewish values, and gaining a sense of meaning. Volunteer at a beneficiary agency whose population includes those with mental-health issues.

13. Creating a congregational mental-health or emotional resilience task force made up of congregational volunteers with interest and expertise in the mental-health field. This can be a new committee or part of an existing caring or educational committee.