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The Campaign to Manage Election Anxiety

In a recent poll from the American Psychiatric Association, more than 70% of Americans reported the upcoming election is causing them anxiety. Election anxiety can potentially harm relationships, foster confusion about what is taking place and generate distrust in the government and the electoral process itself. Here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health.

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Chazarah L’Chaim: A Post-Holiday Havdalah Practice to Re-Establishing Routine

The High Holiday season is a period of rapid transition. It offers a marathon of meaning, connection and community — but also one of emotional, physical, and spiritual stress and disorientation. Consider the following 3 steps or actions you can take to serve as a “Havdalah” practice that helps you transition from the hustle and bustle of the season into regular life.

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U’neTanah Tokef and Suicidal Ideation

One stanza in particular stands out as uniquely highlighting an aspect of life to which anyone who is struggling with suicidal ideation can connect: Who in good time and who by an untimely death. To die by suicide is an inherently untimely death, and it can certainly feel sealed for people struggling with it. But like any other death or negative change in circumstance listed in this prayer, that decree can be averted with righteous actions. Yet the righteous action taken to prevent an untimely death might not be the actions of the person whose death is predicted. It might be your righteous, selfless act that makes the difference.

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Yom Kippur and Tu B’Av: When Love is the Only Answer

On the surface, this all seems like a strange pairing of holidays. The two traditions and atmosphere of the two could not be more different. Yom Kippur, an auspicious day of judgment traditionally marked with fasting and repenting for our sins of the previous year and Tu B’Av, the Jewish holiday of love. It is even more strange that a day as auspicious as Yom Kippur be called a “joyous” day dedicated to matchmaking. However, if you consider the fact that Tu B’Av follows the emotionally strenuous holiday of Tisha B’Av, there is actually one area of significant overlap between the two days.

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Tisha B’Av from the Ground Up: Piecing Our World Back Together

On the holy day of Tisha B’Av, the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, tradition has us sitting on the ground as a way to simulate grief and mourning. But the practice can also bring healing to people reeling in the lingering effects of trauma.

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Commemorating October 7: Creating Space During the Chaggim (High Holidays)

As we are approaching the year anniversary of the attacks on October 7, join us as we think about the ways we can create space to support our community members and Jewish professional staff during the Chaggim this year. We will explore this topic and share resources to support your communities.

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Coping with Grief and Trauma Following October 7 and Recent Events in Israel, Gaza and the United States

By Ruth Weinberg, LPC | There is no one Jewish experience or perspective. Clients expressed a huge range of feelings, reactions, opinions and political beliefs. This has been an unbelievable time in our world. My heart goes out to all living beings struggling with the terror and violence they have lived, witnessed or been exposed to. In addition, I empathize with all those who have endured hateful and painful experiences as they try to cope with these events. Though sadly there is no easy fix for our pain, this article offers strategies for coping with grief and trauma arising from the recent violence in the Middle East and the reverberating antisemitism that has followed.

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6 Tips for Supporting a Grieving Loved One | By The Jewish Board

When a loved one experiences loss, knowing how to support them can be difficult. Amidst this uncertainty, however, one thing remains clear: the need for genuine empathy and understanding.

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Pride All Year Long: How to Build a More Inclusive Jewish Space

By Shoshana Nerenberg | June, which often houses Shavuot, is the national month of Pride, but our inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ Jews into our broader communities shouldn’t end there! There are lots of ways to incorporate inclusion into the day to day, and a lot of important information that you should constantly be aware of. If you’re feeling a bit lost on some little (and not so little) ways to be more queer inclusive this year, this is the resource for you.

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Navigating Difficult Conversations

Created with BeWell | As we navigate the current situation in Israel and Gaza, as well as around the world with the rise in antisemitism, we want to validate the wide range of mental, physical and emotional reactions you may be going through. While many of us share a strong connection to Israel, we need to be sensitive to the different feelings and experiences people have had since October 7, 2023. Conversations around the situation in Israel will naturally arise during the summer with staff and peers. This resource offers ways to think about how to have these difficult conversations.