RCV hosts expert
'The RCV is committed to educating rabbis and rebbetzins in this area, and we look forward to more training in the future.'
The Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) held a professional development session on mental health and Jewish law at Caulfield Shule last week.
Leading Israeli expert on mental health and halachah Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig is currently in Melbourne and was the keynote speaker at the session.
He has authored several books, including co-writing the recently published work on the interplay between mental health and halachah, titled Nafshi Bishe’elati.
RCV co-vice president Rabbi Yaakov Glasman, who will be completing his Master of Counselling at Monash University next month, noted the positive impact Rabbi Rosensweig’s work had made on the Jewish community.
“Rabbi Rosensweig has invested considerable time, effort and resources in applying his extensive knowledge of Jewish law to the issues associated with mental illness,” Rabbi Glasman said.
“We have seen as a community just how important mental wellbeing is, especially in the aftermath of COVID lockdowns and the ongoing challenges the global pandemic has created.”
A number of RCV members have completed degrees in the area of mental health, including Rabbi Ralph Genende, Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, Rabbi Benjamin Kessly and Rabbi Daniel Rabin.
Numerous other RCV members have also completed the Mental Health First Aid course to familiarise themselves with some of the core issues affecting people suffering from mental illness.
RCV immediate past president Rabbi Rabin said that Caulfield Shule was “honoured” to host the RCV’s mental health and halachah workshop with Rabbi Rosensweig.
Rabbi Rabin, who is also the senior rabbi at Caulfield Shule, added, “He provided great insight into navigating mental health challenges in conjunction with halachic observance and how the rabbi can play a significant role here.”
RCV president Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn told The AJN, “The RCV is committed to educating rabbis and rebbetzins in this area, and we look forward to more training in the future.”
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