JCFS Chicago, No Shame on U and The Chicago Board of Rabbis invite you to observe Mental Health Shabbat on January 9th and 10th 2026, 21st of Tevet 5786, Parshat Shemot, or another Shabbat of your choosing.

Mental Health Shabbat is an opportunity to bring light during the dark winter months, celebrate mental health and well-being, reduce the shame and stigma of mental illness, and offer hope and healing.

Individuals, families, and congregations can participate in Mental Health Shabbat by choosing from a variety of observances from our Mental Health Shabbat Resource Guide such as:

• Facilitating rich discussions at a Shabbat table at home or in a synagogue or other organizational space
• Sharing information about mental health and well-being with congregants through your website, newsletter and eblasts
• Including those struggling with mental health challenges in healing prayers and acknowledging those who died by suicide in memorial prayers
• Incorporating mental health and well-being related supplemental prayers and/or readings into services
• Speaking about mental health during the Sermon/D’var Torah and/or inviting a guest speaker to share information or a personal narrative. Our resource guide includes D’var Torah suggestions for use at synagogue or at home.

View our Mental Health Shabbat Resource Guide

Planning to observe Mental Health Shabbat in your synagogue? Let us know! We're happy to help and we value your feedback.

For more information and/or assistance as you develop your Mental Health Shabbat plans, please contact Bracha Jakofsky, LCSW, Mental Health Educator.