Month: March 2021

Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman is an Assistant Professor of Jewish Education at YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and an adjunct professor at YU’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work.He graduated Yeshiva University with a BA in psychology, an MS in Jewish Education from Azrieli and Rabbinic Ordination from RIETS, before attending St. John’s University for his doctorate in psychology. Rabbi Dr. Schiffman has been on the rabbinic staff of Kingsway Jewish Center in Brooklyn, NY for close to a decade.He maintains a private practice where he utilizes Cognitive Behavior Therapy to help clients manage their thoughts, emotions and behaviors to be more aligned with their life goals.His weekly dvar Torah, which combines ideas from the Parsha with concepts from the field of Psychology, is published in the Jewish Press and on his website www.PsychedForTorah.com.
Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
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Gordon Allport, one of the most well-respected and influential psychologists of the 20th century, sifted through a dictionary and compiled a list of 4,504 possible personality traits. Based on various statistical analyses, the most common approach in personality psychology today is that all of these traits fit within five main categories, appropriately termed “The Big Read More …

Shelli lives with her husband and three children in Teaneck, NJ. She has been in the field of Jewish education for many years and hopes that through this article she can help remove the stigma surrounding mental health and make more resources available for support.
Shelli Sussman
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I don’t want to feel like a fish with no water. I want to feel the water’s pulse as I wade. I will make sure to hydrate throughout the day to keep myself going. I don’t want to feel like an overinflated balloon that will pop at any moment. I want to be filled with Read More …

Leigh Ioffe is a certified suicide prevention trainer, published author, and educator. Through her work with the Gelt Charitable Foundation, Leigh has trained over 2,500 people in suicide awareness. She also works with and counsels individuals in crisis. Leigh lives in Philadelphia, PA, with her husband and daughter.
Leigh Ioffe
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Suicide. I want you to stop and notice your reaction to the word “suicide.” If the word or subject makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. Suicide is an uncomfortable and challenging topic. Similar to other mental health issues, suicide is shrouded in shame and stigma–both of which are dangerous. According to the CDC, suicide is Read More …

Kayla is a freshman at Yeshiva University studying business. She is talking about her experiences to make sure others know they are not alone.
Kayla Lasson
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I have battled depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and ADHD for much of my life. My first diagnoses came in the ninth grade in the form of PTSD, mild social anxiety, and severe depression. I knew I needed help and that what I was feeling and going through mentally should not be a forever feeling.  My Read More …