One in four Americans will experience mental illness in their lifetime. Many of the figures in the Hebrew Bible experienced severe emotional distress. And yet, due to stigma, most of us feel isolated when we are personally impacted.
The Northern California Board of Rabbis believes that mental illness is often a profound spiritual experience which demands a meaningful spiritual care response and we encourage you to reach out for assistance.
For your reflection
- A Prayer of Healing for Mental Illness
- Despair and Suicidality (Biblical sources)
- Group Prayer for Healing (Poem by Shoshana Hadassah)
- Glimmer of Hope (Poem by Shoshana Hadassah)
- A Moment of Blessing (Poem by Shoshana Hadassah)
- The Torah of Despair (By Rabbi Elliot Kukla)
- The Spirituality of Madness (By Rabbi Elliot Kukla)
For your congregation
- Tending To Your Community (a congregational guide to visiting people who live with mental illness)
- Ten Things Your Congregation Can Do To Reach Out To Those Living With Mental Illness
- In 2000, the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center made a commitment to the spiritual care needs of those who live with mental illness. We are honored to share this film as a long-term outcome of the BAJHC’s spiritual care in our beloved community. We hope that inspires other congregations to commit to supporting their congregants and community.
For Jewish clergy
- Give Me Your Hand (a congregational prayer by Rabbi Eric Weiss)
- Clergy-Congregant No-Harm Contract (for use with suicidal congregants)
- A Rabbi’s Role in Providing Spiritual Care to Those Who Are Mentally Ill