Leading Reform rabbis have called on the government to offer better mental health provision.
Addressing the movement’s mental health and well-being conference at West London Synagogue, the shul’s senior rabbi, Baroness Neuberger, advocated a multi-faith campaign to achieve improvements, declaring: “This is a crying injustice. As a society we could and should do better.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Reform Judaism’s senior rabbi, Laura Janner-Klausner, in her closing remarks.
There were 130 delegates at the conference, which brought together care providers, educators, youth workers and rabbis.
Among the keynote speakers were mental health campaigners Jonny Benjamin and Natasha Devon, psychotherapist Louis Weinstock and Mark Harris from the Samaritans.
Workshops covered issues including grief and palliative care, drug and alcohol misuse, LGBT mental health and building resilience in children and young people.
Sharon Daniels, Reform Judaism’s well-being and inclusion manager, noted that “last year, our Reform communities committed to building foundations of positive mental health as cornerstones of what we do.
“I am so proud of the ground-breaking work Reform communities are doing in addressing this incredibly important issue.”
Participant Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen of Manchester Reform Synagogue reflected that “the stigma around mental health is shifting. Our children are being gifted with a new language and understanding of themselves and our world. There is much to do but this day has given me extra tools for my toolkit as a professional in our community.”
