The Hebrew keyword for this time of year is T’shuva, referring to the process of coming back to who we are, where we need to be and rediscovering ourselves as Jews and Spiritual Human Beings. Here are Ten ‘R’s of spiritual practice for seeking a spiritual place this special time of year. 

Our lives have been turned upside down during this pandemic in one way or another.  We have missed or adapted to life events such as Jewish holidays, weddings, graduations and funerals. Many of us are still trying to process our experiences. We are reflecting not only personally but as a nation, as a faith group, as a culture and as a Jewish community.

If you give it some thought, could you answer this question: where were you the first time you heard the word ‘suicide’ used? Today, more people are talking publicly about suicide, but sadly, often only in the aftermath of a crisis.

Keeping with the principle of pikuach nefesh (preservation of life and health), JCFS Chicago chaplains continue to provide support by phone or online. We speak with people who live at home, in senior communities or in other residential facilities, often bringing a sense of spirituality and connection to the Jewish community in challenging times.

What is compassion meditation, and how can it be so impactful so quickly? In this form of meditation, one offers simple phrases of good will to oneself and to others. Even short periods of compassion meditation has been found to reduce stress and increase positive emotions.

by Nina Henry, JCFS Chicago Addiction Specialist

With much of the world shut down, loneliness has become a familiar facet of everyday life, especially for older Americans living alone, in nursing homes, or retirement communities.

by: Ann Luban, Senior Director, Jewish Community Services

Even before our current crisis, NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) reported that 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youth struggle with mental health challenges each year, and now we are all experiencing prolonged changes to our daily lives due to the pandemic that has heightened our emotions and compounded our worries. While there are no magic wands we can wave, there are some strategies we can employ to help ourselves and that we can share with our family and friends.

As we reshape our lives and navigate a new normal, we feel the impact of this current pandemic on our emotional well-being.

Throughout history, as humans spread across the world, infectious diseases have been a constant companion.  Even in this modern era, outbreaks are nearly constant. The Jewish community has lived through those times.  We can learn from the past. 

Imagine a situation in which thousands of Jews all over the world are sitting in churches every week.  Many of them are wishing they could be sitting in a synagogue instead, but they can’t. So who are these Jews?  These are Jews in recovery from addiction of every sort. These are all Jews attending 12-Step meetings.