The Talmud in Tractate Kiddushin presents a collection of lessons parents are obligated to share with their children, including teaching them a trade and teaching them Torah. One item on the list seems out of place: A parent must teach their children how to swim. But it may actually be the most important lesson of all. Teaching a child how to swim means providing them with the knowledge and the means of taking care of themselves in moments of crisis — when you can either sink or swim — and ensuring their wellbeing. Such crises can and have increasingly involved mental health.
Sadly, a lot of parents don’t know how to teach their children — or themselves — how to manage a mental health crisis. They need help navigating the treacherous seas they or their loved ones are slowly sinking into. That is why we are excited and honored to announce our new curated guide to mental health crises “HaDerech,” Hebrew for “the way.” We hope it will serve as a compass and point families struggling with a mental health crisis in the right direction and help them create a path forward.
Find Additional Jewish Mental Health Support Networks and Resources
Locate support groups and other suicide prevention organizations, both virtual and in person.
Jewish Prayers Related to Suicide
Depending on the traditions of a person’s specific Jewish community, a death by suicide can include all of the same prayers and rituals as any other death. However, we should remember the particular sensitivities around death by suicide and the family and friends who survive. We offer some prayers and rituals, written by survivors, you might use or adapt.
Support Our Work
With your support, we can continue educating our communities and providing resources about mental illness and addiction through a Jewish lens. Right now, we are closer than ever to eradicating the shame and stigma that have stopped so many from talking about mental health and seeking help when they need it, but we still need your support.