Mental Health Shabbat 2019
This weekend, 11-12 January, is Mental Health Shabbat, coinciding with Parshat Bo, which includes the plague of darkness.
You can download a JAMI resource pack here. The pack includes lots of ideas about how to use the weekend to raise awareness and engage in conversations about mental health in communities, and includes a sermon by Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism, in which she says: “Within the UK, mental ill-health is increasingly common. 1 in 4 people at any given moment will be dealing with their own mental health problems.
“Our communities are not immune to this trend. Every synagogue, every social group and every youth organisation has members who are in need of support. Working in Reform communities has allowed me to see first-hand how mental health conditions are becoming increasingly prevalent at all stages of life, from our youth movements to the older generation. Mental health is a crucial component of our quality of life for everyone and working to safeguard it has to be a top priority for building a caring community”.
The NHS’ Five Ways to Wellbeing are readily available ways to support wellbeing, which many communities are already doing. Think about how your community can make these opportunities available to all, and to maximise the wellbeing benefits of our work.
Reform Judaism is pleased to be partnering with Unravelling Minds to offer communities a chance to host a CBT café – that’s Cake, Crafts, Cocktails or even Challah Before Therapy! CBT cafés were co-founded by a member of a Reform community following her own experience of mental ill-health and the positive impact of informal social support and a chance to talk about mental health. Cafés last 90 mins, and are facilitated by people with experience of mental health problems – there is no agenda, just a chance to talk and listen in a relaxed environment. Cafés are for everyone, whether you have personal experience, are a carer or are just interested in finding out more about mental health. Reform Judaism is able to fund communities to hold cafés until March – please contact Sharon to find out more or arrange this sharon.daniels@rsy-netzer.org.uk.
We are also recruiting Mental health Advocates to work with young people in RSY-Netzer and Reform communities – information can be found here.
If you would like to join our mailing list for the Care Initiative focusing on Mental Health, please email CareInitiative@rjuk.org – we share information about events and support, hold regular networking meetings and will soon be sharing booking information for our Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference on 23 May.
