Resource Type: Downloads

Pirsumei Nisah – Illuminating Your Inner Self (An Eight Day Hanukkah Journal)

Hanukkah can remind us we, like the rest of the world, need to remember the great miracles we are and have some light shed on the innermost parts of ourselves that need attention and understanding. We have devoted space to eight essential reflection prompts we hope will help you reflect on your year — on what brought you light and what dimmed your light — as we add more light to our menorahs this season.
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Wellness Resources for the Situation in Israel

“Kol Yisrael arevim zeh la zeh – All Jews are responsible for one another” is a Talmudic phrase most often used as a call to action. A symbol of the responsibility we should feel for the well-being of others. It is also a sign of unity and strength, and it reminds us that we are never truly alone in our struggles.
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Mental Health Ushpezin

Much like we invite ushpezin into our sukkot, what qualities or practices would you like to invite into your life in the new year? Maybe you want to focus inwardly on forming new self-care and gratitude practices. Or, maybe you want to focus outwardly and commit to reaching out to friends and family more often? You can choose qualities or practices that feel big or small to you — even small steps can make a big impact on our mental wellbeing.
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Simchat Torah and Recovery Spiral

Judaism encourages us to question, to learn and to grow; it’s one of the unique and valued traditions of our religion. While we as Jews do this all year round, it is especially emphasized during the holidays at the beginning of a new year. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur offer us a chance to focus on self-reflection and improvement. Simchat Torah presents a different opportunity to celebrate and begin a fresh start to our Jewish growth and learning.
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Dancing into Forgiveness

Simchat Torah speaks to us in two ways. First, the completion and renewal of the Torah can show those of us stuck in or holding onto the past that we can begin again, and we aren’t alone in our need for a fresh start. Second, when all else fails, sometimes we just need to move our body. Simchat Torah provides a jumpstart of fun, excitement and dance we can use to pull ourselves out of our own heads and into our bodies, which can serve as a form of informal dance therapy.
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Vidui: Remembering You’re Human

During the High Holidays, we reflect on ourselves and the year we've had and recite prayers like "Vidui" where we list out our sins. But we need to be mindful of the complexity of human life and its ups and downs, and that we are far more than any one label, misdeed or illness. Just as the Vidui serves as a catch-all for misdeeds we might have done that we might not even have been aware of, we should recognize there are plenty of good deeds we performed as well without realizing it. We are not our sins, we are not our mistakes, we are not our diagnosis. We are human and created in the Image of God.
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Mental Health Tashlich Blessing Card

תשליך/Tashlich is an expression of repentance, acceptance, and forgiveness for how we mistreated others. But we must also forgive ourselves for the ways we mistreated ourselves. Check out our blessing card, perfect for your Tashlich experience.
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The Power of Art: The Positive Effect of Art on Mental Health

Creativity is a godly activity. According to Jewish tradition, every story in the Torah is included for a reason. Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, a 20th-century scholar, wrote in “Halakich Man” that the reason the story of creation was included in the Torah was to teach us to be creative — just like God. Engaging in art and practicing creativity can leave us with more than just a beautiful physical piece of work. Art can be an incredible tool for expressing ourselves and actively supporting our mental health. Research has found “expression through art can help people [who are struggling] with depression, anxiety, and stress.”* Engaging in art for even 20 minutes reduces cortisol, which decreases stress.
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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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