An online course from Chabad On Call, Merkos 302, is providing new shluchim with tools to help members of their community navigate mental and emotional health challenges. Full article
For shulchos like Hadassah Hecht, after she and her husband, Shumayah, moved to Oxford, Connecticut, as shulchos just a few months ago, it became clear that they were in a position to support members of their community through any emotional distress they might be facing.
“When a couple came to us seeking help in their marriage after only being married a few years, we weren’t sure of our role. We suspected there was some abuse in the relationship but didn’t know what to say, so we avoided discussing it,” Hadassah says. “We wished there was a place where they could learn the skills they needed to navigate such situations.”
The Hecht family’s story is one of thousands like it: With one in six people worldwide affected by mental illness, shluchim around the world are on the front lines of the global mental health crisis, often in roles that call for a wide range of knowledge and sensitivity.
Recognizing the need for more systemic support, Chabad On Call, Merkos 302, introduced a course called “The Shluchim Toolbox: Mental Health Insights.” The boot camp covers topics such as addiction, loss and grief, marriage and family dynamics, and trauma, exploring how these issues manifest in the community and how community leaders can help.
“Chabad shluchim around the world are in a unique position to be a global support system for Jews, both physically, spiritually and emotionally. It’s a responsibility they don’t take lightly, and many shluchim benefit from the additional training,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarski, executive director of Merkos 302. “The knowledge and awareness gained from this can be life-saving.”
There are six flexible online modules available to complete the course from the comfort of your own home. Each module requires approximately 3-4 hours of work, including text-based learning, videos, and interactive discussions. Participants are given one week to complete each module, allowing them to seamlessly fit the program into their busy schedules.
“The course not only gave me practical tools, but also provided me with a supportive network of fellow shluchim that I can rely on in the future,” said Rabbi Simcha Backman, shliach of Glendale, Calif. “Meeting like-minded shluchim on the course and staying in contact with them has given me the benefit of skillfully handling delicate situations and sharing experiences.”
Each module will be followed by a live group session with an expert facilitator and guest speaker to provide deeper insight and an opportunity for questions. Men and women will be split into separate groups. Rabbi Michoel Gourari, shliach of Sydney, Australia, will lead the men’s group, and Dr. Rona Novick, Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education, will lead the women’s group.
While the course is aimed at a group of Shluchim who have started shlichus in the past seven years, Chabad On Call is planning other courses on similar topics for a broader audience in the future.
The course will run from July 18th to September 5th (Yud Beis Tamuz to Beis Elul).
Register by July 10th to save $100. Space is limited.
Register now at ChabadOnCall.com/Toolbox
