Community puts mental health at the centre of Shabbat

The uncertainty that we are living with is taking a toll on our mental health, a leading expert has said.

Speaking on Jami’s Mental Health Shabbat, Philippa Carr, the charity’s senior mental health education and suicide prevention manager, said: “We are living in a changing world and uncertainty seems to be one of the key themes for our contemporary lives. Uncertainty has an impact on our mental health. It affects our self-confidence, self-worth and sense of agency. This is a time for us to come together to find support through community and connection, which we know can protect our mental health.”

Carr, who spoke at Loughton Synagogue in Essex, said she decided to address “the biggest challenges to our mental health that we face as a community”, which included antisemitism, the cost-of-living crisis, young people, care of older adults and the continuing impact of October 7 and the unrest in the Middle East.

Philippa Carr, Jami’s senior mental health education and suicide prevention manager (Photo: Jami)© Giles Christopher / Media Wis

A large number of synagogues took on the theme of mental health during the weekend, including Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue, which held an experiential art therapeutic workshop, Western Marble Arch Synagogue, where Jasmine El-Gamal, a staunch mental health advocate, spoke and at the Mosaic Jewish Community, where consultant psychiatrist Dr Leon Rozewicz led a discussion on anxiety and depression.

To raise money for Jami’s mental health services, many people signed up to participate in Jami’s Host a Meal initiative, inviting guests to make a donation to Jami instead of bringing a gift.

Jami Mental Health Shabbat Friday night dinner at Woodford Forest United Synagogue (Photo: Jami/Jewish Care)[Missing Credit]

On Sunday evening, the whole community was also invited to a special edition of Open Mic Night at Head Room, Jami’s social enterprise café, supported by The Maurice Wohl Foundation, which aimed to both celebrate creativity and foster a sense of community.

Daniel, who regularly attends the community programme at Head Room and who performed, said: “The darkness that we talk about in Parashat Bo during Jami Mental Health Shabbat is very appropriate for me. I often get a feeling of darkness when I wake up. People don’t always realise how hard it is to deal with mental health issues."

Naomi and Theresa perform at the special Open Mic Night at Head Room for Jami Mental Health Shabbat (Photo: Jami/Jewish Care)[Missing Credit]

Daniel added: “Coming to Head Room helps me to get over the darkness I feel. It is such a positive place to be and somewhere that people can connect with each other, whether they’re coming to a group or popping in for a coffee or something to eat. I like the mix of people here, who come from all walks of life.”

For its ninth Jami Mental Health Shabbat, the charity provided a toolkit of resources to hundreds of synagogues, schools, youth groups and university J-Socs.

Jewish Care, which oversees Jami, held a number of challah bakes to mark the Shabbat in its centres, including at their Sandringham campus in Stanmore and at the Sam Beckman Centre for people living with dementia in Friern Barnet, where Year 8 pupils from JCoSS joined the centre’s members. Another intergenerational experience was held at Southend and Westcliff Jewish Community, where members came together with a local school choir to mark the weekend.

Maccabi GB held a One Minute for Mental Health, where all league games were paused for one minute to focus on mental wellbeing.

A young performer at Head Room's special Open Mic Night for Jami Mental Health Shabbat (Photo: Jami/Jewish Care)[Missing Credit]

Jami service user Jonathan, who regularly attends the charity’s hub in Finchley for people with long-term mental illness, said: “Jami Mental Health Shabbat acts as a focus, once a year, for people to think about mental illness and to learn that there is help out there. Mental illness isn’t just going to go away, so we need an annual event like this to keep it at the forefront of people’s minds and to help them understand that it’s a real problem and that they need to keep donating to the cause.

“If, as a community, we keep talking about mental health issues, we will gain a greater understanding of how it affects people’s lives. It’s also important that people know where to turn for support, should they need it, so that they don’t feel alone in the world. Because if they know that there’s somewhere like Jami where they can turn, it helps them to keep going. Jami has been a real lifeline for me.”