Judaism isn’t just a religion of laws; rather, it is a religion of ideas and experiences, all aimed at cultivating a healthy and sound mind, body, and soul for all of its practitioners. Our goal is to explore them, reveal the deep messages hidden within, and shed some light on how one can utilize them to live a healthier and happier life with these mental wellness resources based on the Jewish holidays.
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Hanukkah Resources
This glossary contains common mental health terminology. It is a great jumping-off point to learn more about terms you may hear when engaging in conversation about mental health. In Judaism, we read the same weekly parshiot (portions) from the Torah in the same order each year. While we may be familiar with the parsha (portion) of the week, we reread it to refresh ourselves with the story and glean something new as we approach it with fresh eyes and an open heart. In a similar vein, you may be familiar with many of the terms in this glossary. We encourage you to continue to learn and explore mental health terminology, so you can make connections to mental health in a way that supports where you are on your journey.
Chametz is also symbolic of other things like the yetzer harah (the ego, the self, mental clutter, negativity) that live within us and distract us from our true goals. We are tasked with cleansing ourselves of that kind of "chametz" as well, which allows us to focus on what matters in our lives. In a way, this is a mental cleanse as much as it is a physical cleanse. Try this fun mental cleanse resource to make space in your mind for freedom.
Why do we drink four cups at the Seder? Traditional Jewish sources associate the four cups of wine with the four terms used by God in their promise to save the Jewish people from slavery, which has additionally been understood to be references to the different stages of redemption on our journey to freedom. In this resource, we ask ourselves if, as we drink the four cups during the Seder, we can think about and feel grateful for the steps that we have taken, are taking, or can take as we escape our personal Egypts.
Drinking isn’t the only “Mitzvah” on Purim. There are so many ways to access joy from the other commandments of the day that involve engaging with your community!
See our conversation with Rabbi Iggy of the T'Shuvah Center about creating inclusive community festivities on Purim.
In this resource, we seek to address how we can talk about Purim and Purim celebrations in an inclusive way that allows everyone to celebrate safely and doesn’t call anyone out for how they choose to celebrate? Included are an alternative reading of the Mitzvah of Intoxication on Purim, a guide to how to promote your event, and a guide to how to make your spaces safer for those experiencing alcohol and substance addiction.
