Hamakom Cheder Wellbeing Event

Reform Judaism ran a mental health and wellbeing morning for Hamakom – the joint cheder of Kol Chai and Mosaic Synagogues.

Our Mental Health Advocates ran activities for all the children, aged 6 -14, looking creatively at the links between body and mind, being active and being calm, meditation and developing emotional literacy – the ability to express and explore feelings.

Parents heard from a panel of experts – Jessica Overlander-Kaye, a secondary school wellbeing practitioner, Michael Benjamin, father of mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin, and Ronit Gerber, cheder teacher and founder of the SMILE programme for building resilience. Discussion included the particular challenges to mental health in the Jewish community, how parents can work with schools to improve mental health and how parents can look after their own mental health.

Parents and children came together to build a wall of all their challenges and then to think about how to take the wall down, and transform challenges into something positive – stepping stones.

If you would like our Advocates to visit your community or support with any mental health and wellbeing work please contact Sharon Daniels – sdaniels@rjuk.org