Dr. Binyamin Tepfer, Ph.D., Joins Bereishis Foundation’s Growing League of Mental Health Champions
In Crown Heights, the heart of Brooklyn’s Chabad Lubavitch community, recent data from the 2023 Jewish Community Study of New York highlights a pressing concern: 29% of Jewish households with children report at least one child experiencing emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems that require treatment or counseling. Among these families, 35% indicate that not all affected children are receiving the necessary services, exacerbating challenges like anxiety, depression, and trauma amid societal pressures, particularly in areas with elevated poverty and food insecurity rates, where 46% of Jewish households in Crown Heights are poor or near-poor, and 31% face financial hardship. These statistics reflect broader trends in the New York Jewish community, underscoring the gaps in accessible therapy for youth from modest backgrounds. Such realities are at the heart of the Bereishis Foundation’s mission. Now, as the organization surges forward, it’s enlisting the expertise of Dr. Binyamin Tepfer, Ph.D., a seasoned psychologist whose own career echoes the raw humanity of mental health struggles.
Tepfer’s appointment to the foundation’s Clinical Board marks a key chapter in Bereishis’s evolution from a personal tribute to a potential powerhouse in charitable mental health support. Founded by Azriel Boymelgreen in memory of his cousin Dovid Horowitz, the foundation sprang from Boymelgreen’s own brushes with loss and adversity, including antisemitic bullying in his youth. What began as a heartfelt response to gaps in accessible therapy has quickly blossomed, with internal expansions like hiring program leads for school-based initiatives and now bolstering its oversight with clinical heavyweights like Tepfer
In his new role, Tepfer will lend his sharp eye to complex case reviews, high-risk consultations, and policy shaping, ensuring every service upholds the highest standards of ethics, safety, and efficacy. It’s a fitting match for a man who has spent nearly two decades in the trenches of private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families through the thorns of trauma, addiction, and relational discord. From his offices in Cedarhurst and Brooklyn, Tepfer has built a reputation for integrative approaches, drawing on certifications in addiction therapy and supervision from the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals As founder and clinical director of Arbor Intensives, an outpatient program emphasizing experiential healing, he champions the idea that vulnerability is strength, a theme he explores in writings like his piece “It’s Okay Not to Be Okay,” where he dismantles the facades people wear to hide their inner turmoil.
For Bereishis, Tepfer’s arrival couldn’t come at a more pivotal time. The foundation, still in its early years, operates on a simple yet profound model: directly funding therapy for children in need, allowing families to choose their providers while preserving privacy. No therapy is a luxury here; it’s a lifeline, leveling the playing field so kids from modest means can thrive just as their wealthier peers do. Take David, a 9-year-old boy scarred by domestic conflict, whose outbursts and isolation gave way to trust and sibling bonds after trauma-informed sessions. Or Sara, 13, whose depression eroded her self-worth until therapy reignited her spark, turning her into a school leader with renewed purpose.
Boymelgreen and his team are scripting what could become one of the most inspiring success tales in philanthropy. With roots in the Chabad community of Crown Heights, the foundation is not just growing – it’s setting an example, expanding into school programs, and drawing experts like Tepfer to fortify its base. As demand for youth mental health services swells amid societal pressures, Bereishis stands poised to redefine impact, one healed child at a time. Tepfer, with his blend of clinical rigor and empathetic insight, is now part of that unfolding story, helping ensure the foundation’s reach matches its heart.
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