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Resource Category: Shabbat

Shabbat is an opportunity to remove ourselves from the constant motion of our daily lives—to pause, breathe and reflect on that which is most important to us. Pauses like these go a long way in helping us to connect with our friends, families, selves, and G-d. But Shabbat can also be a powerful tool in cultivating mental wellness.

According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI) one in 5 adults in the United States experiences a mental health condition in a given year.

Make mental health the center of your Shabbat conversation any Friday night, and create a community of caring and inclusivity.  A personal connection can save someone’s life. Your outreach, dinner, and kindness may impact someone more than you may ever know it does.

Host or attend a Shabbat Dinner on any Friday night. This dinner is not a therapy session or training.  Your goal for the evening is to show that Mental Health education and support is a priority in the Jewish community and that it is OK to talk about mental health.  It is time to eliminate the shame and stigma that is often associated with the topic.  It’s time to #QuietTheSilence.

Shabbat: To “Remember” and to “Guard”

Many don’t realize the Torah contains two versions of the 10 commandments; it’s easy to overlook. By and large, the two versions are essentially the same, and there are no differences between the laws. There are a couple of small differences in the presentation of some laws; these can be easily overlooked. Yet they have tremendous significance, particularly when it comes to understanding a crucial aspect of Shabbat — and rest in general.
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Active Inclusivity: How to Be Inclusive During Shabbat

We talk about inclusivity all of the time, but what does it mean to be actively inclusive? How do we ensure all people are able to fully participate in whatever way they are showing up? It’s important to keep in mind that for many reasons a Shabbat dinner or get-together can be difficult or stressful for some people. We don’t know what someone is showing up with that night. Whether for mental health, dietary, or other reasons, here are ways to create a community of caring and inclusivity.
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Shabbat: Productive Pausing

Shabbat, the most steadily recurring Jewish observance, acts as a buffer to the pressures of everyday life. It could be the stressors of one’s profession for some people; for others, it’s the constant pull toward technology. For many, disconnecting from everything can be a challenge and a stressor of its own, but the benefits of doing so offer the perfect remedy to the continual “grind” and need for constant production indicative of a larger, more extensive neglect of rest in the contemporary world.
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