Resource Type: Articles

Esther Asked for Help; So Should You – The Power of Support Groups in Recovery

Written with Selah BK | Recovery journeys can be about a variety of conditions, including alcoholism and substance misuse. With the overabundance of messaging around addiction and drug use online and in popular culture, many struggling with addiction feel they can face it on their own, believing they already know what they need to do to overcome their struggles. This sense of independence can be healthy and lead to successful recovery for some, but for others, the lack of community and accountability can be a barrier to healing, leaving them feeling isolated or unsupported in their recovery process. That is where support groups come in.
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Being Mordechai: Resisting Peer Pressure and Underage Drinking on Purim

By Avraham Walkenfeld | Despite social expectations and pressure, Mordechai’s refusal to bow to someone diametrically opposed to his values demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his own. What makes this an especially powerful example is the explanation in the following verse of why he refused to bow to a wicked man like Haman: He was a Jew. To be a Jew is to live by your beliefs — Live by Them (Vayikra 18:5) — and there is no holiday where that message is needed more than Purim.
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How Do You Adar? A Jewish Guide to Joy

Throughout its 3,000-year history, Jewish tradition has put a lot of thought into this deeply human question, among others, and has provided a plethora of answers. Our tradition offers paths to joy, including connection with God, finding meaning, contentment, and community. But, ultimately, what makes you happy is you.
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Resist Your Inner Pharaoh: Unharden Your Heart

Over the course of the Exodus, one of the driving forces in the story is the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart. This “hardening” set him in his cruel ways and prevented him from releasing the Jews from slavery, despite the increasing severity of the plagues and the pleas of his constituents. As most commonly understood, the loss of his free will to repent was a divine punishment for his mistreatment of the Jewish people in slavery, but there are voices within Jewish tradition that actually see Pharaoh’s challenge as something that plagues almost everyone — habituation.
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Choni HaMe’aggel: The Talmud’s Model for Overcoming Climate Anxiety

“Climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, is distress related to worries about the effects of climate change…and is often accompanied by feelings of grief, anger, guilt, and shame, which in turn can affect mood, behavior, and thinking.” (Harvard Medical School) Climate change has severe implications on our safety, but to rectify the impact we’ve had on our climate will require action, and that can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, the Talmud offers a model for self-empowerment in our fight against forces as seemingly unstoppable as nature.
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Exploring Social Connectedness and Mental Wellness

In May 2023, the U.S. surgeon general released a new advisory on the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation and lack of connection in our country. With the holidays approaching and this public health crisis at hand, we must ask what our responsibility is to support ourselves and each other in fostering meaningful connection. The Jewish value, or middah, kol Yisrael arevim zeh la zeh – כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה, all Jews are responsible for one another, is a reminder of our responsibility. It helps us understand we are interconnected and must be invested in the mental wellness and overall well-being of others.
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Setting the Table with Hakarot Hatov

Eating can be a self-centered activity, wherein we fixate on our own needs and appetites. Of course, that doesn’t mean eating is a bad thing, but we should acknowledge how often our stomachs take on lives of their own, letting us forget about everything outside of our plate. Jewish tradition’s system of blessings reflects its understanding of that aspect of human psychology and equally recognizes the benefits of gratitude for our mental health and wellness. While the blessings directly reference God as the ultimate source of our food, this system nonetheless invites us to see beyond our self-interest, so we can think more broadly about where our food comes from...
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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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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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