Resource Type: Articles

Exploring Social Connectedness and Mental Wellness on the High Holidays with JFS Jewish Disabilities Advocates (JDA)

Co-authored with JFS Jewish Disabilities Advocates Collaborative | As the new year begins, we are thinking about social connection. Social connection has an incredible impact on our overall health, both as individuals and as a community. Having stable and supportive connections as an individual leads to better physical and mental health outcomes such as longer life, better health and increased ability to cope with stress, anxiety and depression.
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Catching Friends Before Rock Bottom

It is true that people aren’t always ready to accept help, even when they desperately need it, but that doesn’t mean we need to wait until they hit rock bottom before accepting or seeking help. We can and should intervene before our friends get to that point. But we need to understand how to do it most effectively and sensitively.
Person helping another person up.
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Giving to Yourself on Hanukkah

By Max Hollander | On Hanukkah, as you light the candles on the hanukkiah, be sure to look inward at the light shining inside of you, and take steps to ensure your inner flame is happy, healthy and bright.
Mother and child in front of Hanukkah candles.
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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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Shavuot: The Holiday of Ultimate Awareness

By Rabbi Steven Gotlib | Beginning on the second night of Passover and extending until Shavuot, many Jews count the Omer. For 49 days, Judaism maintains a special awareness of time — even for a religion that, as Abraham Joshua Heschel described, constructs a sanctuary of time each week in marking the Sabbath. But what exactly makes these 49 days between Passover and Shavuot so special?
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The Risks of Tween and Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Written in Partnership with In the City Camps | One of the biggest factors in maintaining good physical and mental health is avoiding drug abuse. This is especially important for tweens and teens, whose brains are still developing. While any young person could give in to social pressure and start experimenting with drugs or alcohol, the Mayo Clinic has outlined some risk factors.
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Depression Among Tweens

Written in Partnership with In the City Camps | Even before the pandemic that changed the world (especially for kids, tweens and teens), depression among tweens was on the rise. The suicide rate among people ages 10 to 14 tripled between 2007 and 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And according to U.S. News and World Report, tweens are experiencing major depression nearly 50 percent more often nowadays, which dramatically increases their risk of suicide. So what can parents do to determine whether their tween is having an emotional crisis?
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How Peer Pressure Can Affect ADHD Treatment in Tweens

Written in Partnership with In the City Camps | The number of tweens with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing, but sadly, a growing number of preteens are rebelling against treatment. According to ADDitude magazine, tweens tend to stop taking their ADHD medication. Peer pressure is a big factor, but refusing to take medications may also be another way for them to assert their independence. Parents and other caregivers can help their tweens feel less stigmatized by showing them ways to take their pills in a less obvious manner or in private. If your preteen is going to a sleepover, for example, speak to at least one of the adult chaperones beforehand.
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How to Spot Anxiety Disorders in Kids, Tweens and Teens

Written with In the City Camps | Kids, tweens, teens and even adults all experience fears and worries. But when they become frequent and interfere with the person’s ability to fully live their life, it has crossed the line into an anxiety disorder. Let’s discuss the different types of anxiety disorders and how to spot them.
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