Posts from Professionals

Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman
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 …

Leigh Ioffe
Leigh Ioffe
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 …

Dani Bauer
Dani Bauer
Marriage Advisor at Refuat Hanefesh
Rabbi Dani Bauer, originally from Brooklyn, NY, earned a Bachelor’s of Talmudic Law at Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel and a Bachelor's in Psychology at Lander College for Men. He obtained Semicha at Yeshiva University and received an M.S. in Jewish Education from the Azrieli School of Education. He graduated from Council for Relationships with a postgraduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. Rabbi Bauer recently joined Bala Child and Family Associates, where he works in private practice and specializes in couples, families, and teens. In addition to private practice, Rabbi Bauer is also a full-time high school Rebbe at Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Philadelphia, where he has been teaching Gemara, Halacha, and Tanach since 2013. Along his journey, Rabbi Bauer also served as a rabbinic intern and youth director at the Roslyn Synagogue in Roslyn, New York.
Dani Bauer
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To say that this has been a difficult time would be an insult to the so many people who have suffered. Many have lost relatives or their jobs, and there is instability across the globe. Parents are overwhelmed, being forced to juggle their jobs while being their children’s teachers, technicians, and wardens. However, I’d like Read More …

Ariel Mintz, MD
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Ariel Mintz, MD
Founder and President at Refuat Hanefesh
Dr. Ariel Mintz grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two years learning in Israel, at Derech Eitz Chaim and Shaalivm, he earned his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva Univesity in New York. He went on to obtain his MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of medicine and trained in adult psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and is a practicing psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio. He has received awards for his research, academic performance, and service to the Jewish community. He has a supportive and talented wife and three wonderful children. He is very passionate about destigmatizing mental illness and bringing comfort to those who are suffering. Ariel can be reached at arielmintz@refuathanefesh.org.
Ariel Mintz, MD
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Yaakov vs. Angel In this week’s Torah portion (Vayishlach), as Yaakov is leaving Lavan’s home and heading back to his birthplace, he gets into an epic scuffle with an angel. This fight inflicts Yaakov with a case of sciatica, and as a result, all future generations are required to remove the sciatic nerve from meat prior to Read More …

Ariel Mintz, MD
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Ariel Mintz, MD
Founder and President at Refuat Hanefesh
Dr. Ariel Mintz grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two years learning in Israel, at Derech Eitz Chaim and Shaalivm, he earned his BA in Psychology at Yeshiva Univesity in New York. He went on to obtain his MD at Oakland University William Beaumont School of medicine and trained in adult psychiatry at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic and is a practicing psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio. He has received awards for his research, academic performance, and service to the Jewish community. He has a supportive and talented wife and three wonderful children. He is very passionate about destigmatizing mental illness and bringing comfort to those who are suffering. Ariel can be reached at arielmintz@refuathanefesh.org.
Ariel Mintz, MD
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Yaakov’s Curious Request In this week’s Torah portion (Vayeitzei), as Yaakov runs away from his brother Esav towards his uncle Lavan, he pauses to offer a prayer. He beseeches Hashem and promises that if God guards him against danger and provides him with bread to eat and clothes to wear, then he will keep the Read More …

Rav Yoni Rosensweig
Rav Yoni Rosensweig
Rav Yoni Rosensweig is the Rabbi of the Netzach Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, a Ram in Midreshet Lindenbaum. and author of several books.
Rav Yoni Rosensweig
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Editor’s Note: Below is a compelling question and answer as a special preview of Rav Yoni Rosensweig’s upcoming book examining the intersection of mental health and Jewish law. Rav Rosensweig is a popular author, Rabbi of the Netzach Menashe community in Beit Shemesh, and a Ram in Midreshet Lindenbaum. The views expressed in this piece Read More …

Chaya Rochel Zimmerman
Chaya Rochel Zimmerman
Chaya Rochel Zimmerman, born and raised in Staten Island, NY, and a graduate of Bais Rivkah Seminary in Crown Heights, earned degrees from Brooklyn College and the University of Maryland in Education and Math. She is committed to Jewish causes including establishing and supporting Jewish educational institutions, creating women’s programming, and volunteering for the local mikvah. Her passion for writing arose from her love of reading and her desire to help others, through the medium of thought-provoking fiction. She lives in Chicago and is married to Rabbi Yale Zimmerman, a businessman and musician. Together they enjoy visiting their grandchildren in Chicago, New York, Arizona, England and Israel. To learn more about her book, please visit her website at zimnovels.com.
Chaya Rochel Zimmerman
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I have vivid memories from my childhood of a man in a crumpled suit sitting in the kitchen of my synagogue next to my father, the shamus (Rabbi’s assistant), who handed the man a plate of leftovers from the weekly Kiddush. He looked scary to me and I’d heard other members of the shul gently Read More …

Avi Friedman, MFT
Avi Friedman, MFT
Avi is a Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Health and Wellness Coach. He has empowered both patients and his community to make significant changes in their lives with accountability and focus.

Avi can be reached at healthcoachavi@gmail.com or at 347-531-6057
Avi Friedman, MFT
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It is common knowledge that physical exertion and exercise have dramatic impacts on our physical health. All nutritional programs will tell you that the combination of nutrition and exercise is the key to staying physically healthy. There is an abundance of evidence confirming that physical activity can improve chronic conditions and prevent many serious medical Read More …

Suzann Lasson, OTR/L
Suzann Lasson, OTR/L
Suzann is an occupational therapist who works on the behavioral health units at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Hospital of Baltimore, MD. She has a clinical specialty in psychiatric occupational therapy and has worked as an occupational therapist for twenty years, with clinical experience in acute psychiatric units, inpatient psychiatric units, outpatient partial hospitalization programs, and inpatient rehabilitation. At Levindale, she works primarily with patients with mental illness, running daily psychosocial groups (including coping skills, stress management, assertiveness skills, safety/fall prevention, anger management, depression management, anxiety management, and how to speak about mental illness).
Suzann Lasson, OTR/L
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I started working in an acute psychiatric unit fifteen years ago as an occupational therapist (OT), during which time the experiences I have had with those in the Jewish community and their petrified need for secrecy have been alarming. More on that crisis in a little bit. First, for context, occupational therapy became prevalent in Read More …