Free counselling sessions
"It serves as a beacon of hope, offering emotional support and the necessary tools to rebuild lives and foster resilience."
Following the tragedy in Israel on Saturday, October 7, Hatzolah’s Rabbi Josh Wonder spent countless hours engaged in ‘doomscrolling’, continuously consuming highly distressing content.
This left him in an unhealthy state, prompting the need for self-intervention.
Recognising that numerous individuals likely faced similar difficulties, Rabbi Wonder felt compelled to assist them.
Hatzolah, known for its invaluable emergency medical services, has expanded its scope of aid by introducing a one-to-one counselling service staffed by registered psychologists to assist people with the tragedy that has occurred in Israel.
An organisation dedicated to saving lives and aiding in times of crisis has taken a significant step towards addressing the physical and psychological needs of the Jewish community.
Hatzolah is an organisation known for its speed in responding to the community’s needs. “We have had to change our typical response for this crisis,” Rabbi Wonder said. “But when the need was identified we knew we had to act quickly.”
To address this crucial aspect of crisis response, it has collaborated with registered psychologists to create a supportive and confidential platform for emotional healing.
This service is designed to assist individuals and families in navigating their way through the emotional challenges that follow.
Rabbi Wonder said, “We have helped over 40 people so far and the number continues to grow every day. Many of our clients are speaking of the ongoing trauma and re-trauma being caused by blatant antisemitism around the world.”
Psychologists will work closely with clients to provide personalised and comprehensive care.
Furthermore, this initiative is accessible to anyone within the Jewish community who is directly or indirectly affected.
The launch of Hatzolah Melbourne’s one-to-one counselling service comes at a time when the global Jewish community is still reeling from the tragedy in Israel.
The influx of psychologists happy to give their time to this project is phenomenal. “The Jewish unity our enemies have triggered makes me so proud of the Jewish people and our community,” Rabbi Wonder said.
“It serves as a beacon of hope, offering emotional support and the necessary tools to rebuild lives and foster resilience.”
To access the counselling service: trybooking.com/CMJNY
For further information: info@hatzolah.org.au or call 8534 0100.
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