‘You are not alone’

When we look after another person, “we are looking after their soul – and therefore, by extension – we are looking after Hashem,” South African Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein told Jewish House supporters in his keynote address to the organisation’s online gala last week.

“Lockdown and isolation has caused a tremendous amount of emotional and psychological anguish … the need and the call to reach out and to support and to help people through this mental health crisis is now more important than ever,” he said.

“We need to have a sense of responsibility to look after one another and to send the message loud and clear, you are not alone.

“That is what Jewish House does. It sends the message loud and clear.”

Rabbi Goldstein noted that chesed (loving kindness) is one of three key pillars that “the world stands on”, according to Pirkei Avot.

“And of course, the work of Jewish House fits into that in the most perfect and harmonious way,” he said.

“Part of the response to this pandemic is not only to ensure physical health for all human beings … but also emotional well being. And that’s why the work of Jewish House is something which is so holy and so precious and so important, because it is about the emotional care.”

CEO Rabbi Mendel Kastel said that over the past 12 months, Jewish House had kept more than 1000 people off the streets.

Jewish House’s Avodah jobs project, its relationship support fund and its William Cooper transitional housing program also helped countless people, he said, while its “Mend” homelessness app had processed over 500 reports and had more than 1000 active users.

Rabbi Kastel said in the coming year, the organisation pledged to focus on four critical areas – crisis support for families and children, care coordination services for school aged children, expanding its mental health and advocacy support services and expanding its homelessness services.