^{By Leah Shefsky, Chaplaincy Coordinator & Grief Specialist}

There is a particular kind of weight that settles in during prolonged uncertainty. It does not always come from a single loss. We are living in a moment shaped by loss, disruption, and sustained stress, locally, globally, and within our own lives. Even without a recent death, many people feel untethered. They are worried about loved ones, overwhelmed by world events, and worn down by the cumulative emotional toll. Grief does not only follow death. It can also arise from what feels fragile, unresolved, or uncertain.

At the same time, many are grieving very real, personal losses while the wider world feels unstable. Grieving an individual loss amid collective crisis can be especially isolating. Personal grief does not pause for global upheaval, nor does it become less valid in its presence. When private loss collides with public crisis, grief is often intensified, leaving people feeling unseen or unsure where their sorrow belongs.

Jewish tradition does not ask us to face grief alone. At its core, spiritual care and grief support are grounded in the belief that accompaniment matters. Being seen, heard, and held in presence can be healing. Often, what helps most is not an answer or solution, but a steady, compassionate witness who can sit with pain, questions, and fear without trying to move past them too quickly.

Grief is often experienced as deeply lonely, even when others are present. And yet, there is something quietly healing about not having to carry pain alone. Being with another person who is willing to stay present and listen, without trying to fix or explain, can soften the sharpest edges of grief. Healing does not mean the pain disappears. It means it becomes more bearable when it is shared.

Judaism offers wisdom for these moments—not  to fix what is broken, but to help us endure and respond with compassion. Our tradition teaches the importance of naming pain aloud, of ritual and reflection, and of pausing rather than pushing through. It reminds us that brokenness is not a personal failure, and that vulnerability is not something to hide.

In times like these, it can be tempting to minimize our own pain. We may tell ourselves that others have it worse, or that we should be coping better by now. But tending to grief is not a luxury. It is part of how we remain human, grounded, and capable of care. When we allow ourselves to receive support, we strengthen our ability to show up for others. If the world has been feeling especially heavy, you are not alone. You do not have to wait for a crisis to reach out. Spiritual care and bereavement support exist to walk alongside you through grief, through uncertainty, and through the quiet moments when holding everything feels like too much. Contact Leah Shefsky for information and referrals for JCFS chaplaincy and bereavement services.