Rabbi's Week in Review Blog

While my blog has generally focused on what we can and should do to support other people and other communities — and/or what we can and should do for our own community — I want us to catch our breath and not forget about our individual selves. At the risk of stating the obvious, the COVID-19 pandemic is wearing people out.

Another way to put it is, if you are feeling beleaguered, you are not alone. This is as good a time as any to refer to one of my past Erev Yom Kippur sermons: the need to destigmatize mental illness and to urge everyone to reach out for help. We often focus on our physical health, but we rarely do much in the way of preventative maintenance when it comes to our mental health. Whether it be physical or mental, illness is illness. Mental illness is not a character flaw or a personality defect.

I am always willing to talk and would urge anyone who needs to talk to send me an email, and we can arrange a time to do so. At the same time, my rabbinic training only goes so far. As I mentioned in my sermon, I am not a licensed therapist. Those who are licensed therapists can be of enormous help during difficult times or just a good foundation of support when things are going well.

Finally, as Kol Ami is a community, let’s endeavor to stay connected to one another and not succumb to Zoom fatigue. While we cannot connect as we would like, we should take advantage of all the ways we can connect. Let’s be aware and care for each other. In the meantime, I wish good health for all of us.