Shluchos To Extend Their Kinus Weekend for a Critical Wellness Summit
This year, a significant number of Shluchos are set to extend their stay in New York after the annual Kinus Hashluchos to attend the Wellness Summit, a full-day in-depth seminar for Shluchos, focused on mental health and emotional well-being.
Organized by Merkos 302’s Shluchim Refuah and JLI’s Wellness Institute, the Wellness Summit hopes to empower Shluchos with fundamental insights and practical tools to help community members navigate mental health challenges.
Seeing the importance of the topic, many Shluchos are extending their stay after the Kinus weekend. “I’m extending my stay in Crown Heights because I don’t believe it’s possible for someone, whether themselves, friends, family or community member, not to be affected by some sort of mental health struggle,” says Hindy Light of Chabad of Anne Arundel County, MD. “It’s extremely important for people to be educated and informed on the topic.”
At the summit, participants will hear from fellow Shluchos, including Sarah Bluming of Chabad Potomac, MD and Rochel Lazaroff of Aishel House in Houston, TX, to learn from their experiences and insights. They are set to discuss how being anchored by Torah and Chassidus has been instrumental in navigating personal and community challenges.
“The Shluchos are often the first line of support in their communities,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “This summit hopes to provide them with the necessary tools to guide and help those facing mental health challenges, which is especially critical today.”
A key session, “Navigating Maternal Mental Health,” will be facilitated by Dvora Entin, LCSW, PMH-C, a renowned perinatal and reproductive mental health specialist. Her expertise is particularly relevant as mental health issues affect a significant portion of pregnant and postpartum women globally.
In addition to addressing maternal health challenges, the summit will feature educational micro-lectures and Q&A sessions with experts like Dr. Ethan Ehrenberg on parent-child relationships and Dr. Glenn Hirsch on identifying and seeking care for mental illness. These sessions aim to equip the participants with the knowledge and tools to support their community members, especially in challenging times.
The Wellness Summit aims to create supportive circles for meaningful dialogue on mental and emotional well-being amongst participants, ensuring that the Shluchos can continue to be pillars of strength and guidance for their families and communities.
To register and for more information, visit https://www.shluchimrefuah.org/wellness-summit
