"Blessed burning of yahrzeit candle'

"My ancestors speak to me there in that small, windowless room"

Here’s our message: if you suffer, get help. You’re worth it.

How can the Jewish community be more accessible to those affected by mental health issues?

As you may have noticed, this month Ritualwell featured guest blog posts for Mental Health Awareness Month. You might wonder why an organization devoted to ritual would choose to address this topic. Mental illness affects us all, and Jewish communities in particular are failing to support those struggling with their mental health issues. In many communities, particularly in the Jewish community, we do not discuss mental illness often, let alone acknowledge it through ritual. 

This, I believe, is why the High Holidays are followed immediately by Sukkot, the Festival of Booths. Five days after we acknowledge mortality, Sukkot is a celebration of the temporary.

Karen Webber frames her mental health journey through the Exodus story.