Mental Health Awareness Month Header

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Along with our community and national partner organizations, the Jewish communal life team at CJP is excited to share a number of opportunities and resources for you to share with your team and community. As we work together to reduce stigma and support our community as part of our broader year-round mental health initiative, thank you for your leadership and partnership in helping to create a more connected, inclusive and supportive community.

Upcoming Trainings & Learning Opportunities

Flourishing Teens: Creating Environments for Growth and Connection (Moving Traditions)
Wednesday, April 30, 1-2 p.m., Zoom

Join Moving Traditions for an interactive webinar featuring an in-depth conversation focused on the inner lives of today’s teens, proven educational models that foster personal well-being and guide teens in finding their voices, new tools for supporting Jewish identity and helping teens address antisemitism, and an opportunity to learn more about the full menu of programs and partnerships that Moving Traditions offers.

Helping an Anxious Child: Prevent Worry From Spiraling (Gateways)
Monday, May 5, 7:30-9 p.m., Zoom

Are you a parent or educator looking for effective strategies to help your child manage anxiety? As summer approaches, changes in routine can often lead to increased stress and uncertainty for children. Join Gateways for this informative webinar, where licensed therapist and anxiety expert Robyn Isman, LMHC, will share actionable strategies and proven techniques to support your child or student while creating a calmer environment.

On the Front Lines: Providers’ Key Role in Helping Jewish Youth with Anxiety (BeWell Boston Resiliency Roundtable, JF&CS and CJP)
Tuesday, May 6, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Zoom

Anxiety’s negative impact on learning, participation, social interaction and development is well-documented, with the pandemic only exacerbating these challenges. Join other professionals from throughout the Greater Boston Jewish community as we learn concrete, process-based strategies from Lynn Lyons, LICSW, author, podcast host and an internationally-sought after expert, speaker and trainer. We’ll discuss the critical partnerships between those on the front lines in our schools and youth-serving organizations with parents and caregivers at home. Contact Cara Presley, director of mental health at JF&CS, for additional information.

Protecting Our Kids: Fostering LGBTQ+ Safety (JCC Greater Boston)
Wednesday, May 7, 7:30-9 p.m., Zoom

Join Luca Valentine for an interactive and timely virtual presentation on supporting gender independent, nonbinary and trans (GIaNT) youth right now. In a world where many families are feeling overwhelmed by today’s political climate, Luca will provide caregivers with practical, immediate steps to offer essential support to their children. This 90-minute session will focus on ensuring the emotional, physical and legal safety of GIaNT youth. Luca will share valuable tools and knowledge to empower caregivers in protecting their children, fostering a supportive environment and standing as allies in times of uncertainty. This program is for caregivers of all kinds, including parents, grandparents, foster parents, teachers and any adults who support or wish to be informed allies of GIaNT youth.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification for Camp Staff (Jewish Education Project)

Thursday, May 8, 12-5 p.m., Zoom
Tuesday, May 20, 12-5 p.m., Zoom
Thursday, May 29, 12-5 p.m., Zoom

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) enables youth professionals to recognize signs of distress and guide a young person toward appropriate treatments and other supportive health care. Participants will learn how to distinguish between typical adolescent development and symptoms of mental health challenges most common to young people: anxiety, depression, eating or substance use disorders, and the impact of social media and bullying. YMHFA emphasizes the importance of early intervention and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. They will walk away with strategies for self-care and a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Participants who complete this course will earn a certificate that is valid for three years.

Radical Prioritization and Avoiding Burnout (CJP and Effect Collective)
Monday, May 12, 12-1:30 p.m., Zoom

When everything feels urgent, how do you focus on what matters most? This session will help you cut through the noise, prioritize with intention and build habits that protect your energy, purpose and drive. You’ll gain practical tools to recognize early signs of burnout, reset your focus and create a work rhythm that feels more sustainable and fulfilling. Facilitated by Kelly Segal, founder of Effect Collective.

V’ahavta: Community NARCAN Trainings (BeWell, The Blue Dove Foundation and Selah)

Tuesday, May 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Zoom
Wednesday, May 21, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Zoom

Why do we talk about love when we talk about NARCAN and harm reduction training? The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King shared his vision for the “Beloved Community.” And our own tradition instructs us: You shall love. Love God, love your neighbors, love the stranger among us. But Jewish tradition’s obligation to love is not about a swell of romantic feeling toward one’s intimates, nor is it a distant concept applied—rosy-eyed—to all of existence while guitar strums in the background. Love is about acts of care, empathy, kindness and righteousness in our own families, our communities and our neighborhoods. Join BeWell, the Blue Dove Foundation and Selah for a hands-on opportunity to learn about how substance use affects the Jewish community (spoiler: much, much more than you think it does, and, yes, if you’re wondering, you definitely know someone at risk of overdose right now), to become certified in the use and application of NARCAN to reverse a drug overdose and to encounter Jewish wisdom to inspire us as harm reduction ambassadors. Each participant in the U.S. can choose to receive a NARCAN kit upon completion of the training.

Sense of Self and Mental Health Is a Team Effort: Partnering with Caregivers to Support Teens (BaMidbar)
Wednesday, May 21, 12-1 p.m., Zoom

Identity development is a core milestone in adolescence, and as Jewish communal professionals, we play a key role in guiding that journey. According to the 2023 BeWell study, teens who report a strong connection to their Jewish identity are 3.4 times more likely to also report positive mental health and emotional well-being. While our programs provide meaningful touchpoints, we only see teens a few hours each week. How can we better leverage the influence of parents and caregivers to extend that impact? This session will explore practical ways to engage families as partners in supporting identity development and teen mental health.

Managing Grief and Loss: Finding Hope in Trying Times (The Vilna Shul, CJP and JF&CS)
Thursday, May 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Vilna Shul, Boston

Meet Myra Sack, author of “Fifty-seven Fridays,” a story of grief and loss, and ultimately, resilience. On discovering that her daughter suffered from a terminal illness and might not live to her next birthday, Myra and her husband decided to make every Friday night into a “Shabbirthday” and celebrate the time they had left together. In this interactive workshop, Myra will share her story and share practical steps for how we keep ourselves strong in the face of any kind of trauma or loss. She’ll be welcomed by Rabbi Allison Berry, director of the Betty Ann Greenbaum Miller Center for Jewish Healing at Jewish Family & Children’s Service.

Resources & Research

JTI Peer Leadership Fellows Applications Open

Jewish Teen Initiative (JTI) at CJP is looking for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school who want to:

  • Gain valuable leadership skills and training
  • Build their portfolio and college resume
  • Help design and lead community service initiatives
  • Connect their peers to our Jewish community
  • Help reduce the stigmas surrounding mental health and wellness

Applications for the JTI Peer Leadership Fellows 2025-26 cohorts are now being accepted. Learn more >>

We are proud to partner with JCC Greater Boston, BaMidbar, Hillel International and organizations and communities throughout Greater Boston to make our community more connected and inclusive for all #JewishBostonTeens.

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