Mental Health in the Orthodox World Today

Mental health in Orthodox Judaism is poised today at the same pivotal juncture that cancer was in the ’90s according to Andy Lauber, recently appointed executive director of Amudim. With decades of experience as a licensed social worker and crisis counselor, first with Chai Lifeline, when speaking openly about cancer was taboo, Lauber sees similar advances in mental health awareness, as “Amudim aims to break down barriers and remove stigmas.”

Founded in 2014 by Rabbi Zvi Gluck and Mendy Klein, z”l to provide crisis support, Amudim now confronts prevention and education of abuse, neglect, mental illness, addictions, self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Lauber believes the key to change is normalizing mental health through awareness programs directed at educators, community leaders and students alike “to preempt crises.” In his first weeks at Amudim, he organized seminars on sexual abuse, led by Dr. Graham Hill. One took place in Lakewood, where over 300 educators of all ages received training. In Far Rockaway, New York an open forum for rabbinic leaders focused on how to react to, and understand, congregants. “One participant said it was the most important thing he’d attended,” Lauber reported. “Amudim’s goal is for them to continue these vital conversations.”

Amudim’s social-emotional learning curriculum, Darcheinu, partners with schools to equip students with tools in regard to responding to peer pressure, emotional regulation, self-esteem, decision-making and risk awareness. “Studies show SEL participants have greater emotional health, healthier boundaries and know how to ask for help,” Lauber noted.

Amudim’s Shvilim, a clinic in Inwood, New York, currently in its soft launch phase, offers mental health treatments through insurance. Meanwhile, in Israel, the Jerusalem Therapy Center — run in partnership with Hebrew University — offers affordable individual and group therapy, trauma counseling, anxiety treatment and more for English speaking young adults, lone soldiers, new olim and students navigating cultural differences in Israel. “Amudim has its finger on the pulse of klal Yisrael’s mental health around the world,” Lauber lauded.

Also making major strides in the mental health education space, through a women-led initiative, is JOWMA, the Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association. Co-founded by CEO Dr. Miriam “Mimi” Knoll, a Northwell Health radiation oncologist, JOWMA began as a grassroots mentorship and community network for Jewish women in medicine.

Over six years, JOWMA has grown to a 500-plus strong network of female practitioners across nearly every medical specialty, and its advances in the field of mental health have been impactful and far-reaching; not least JOWMA’s social-emotional curriculum project, a proprietary educational program implemented in a number of schools, where children and adolescents are being taught critical skills providing them with the tools needed to build resiliency.

“JOWMA has focused heavily on mental health education. We recognized a need to raise awareness about common diagnoses within the community, including anxiety, depression, ADHD and postpartum mental health conditions,” said Dr. Jennie Berkovich, pediatrician and JOWMA director of education. We have also developed content at the request of physicians and practices to help educate families. We are seeing real progress; our communities are becoming more adept at recognizing mental health challenges and seeking out appropriate care, including therapy and medication.”

Reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Tal Weinberger, director of psychiatry and behavioral therapy at CHEMED Health Center in Lakewood and co-chair of JOWMA’s mental health committee, affirmed that “Psychiatry is a vital part of our mission. We are proud to have dozens of members — psychiatrists, residents and medical students — who are pursuing or practicing in this specialty. There is a critical need for culturally sensitive psychiatric care in our communities, and JOWMA is actively working to help fill that gap.”

Shifting to educational settings, it was announced at the 2025 SINAI Schools dinner, that Adir Academy in New York City, the first Jewish therapeutic day school in the United States, will soon launch, addressing high-schoolers’ acute mental health and educational needs and offering year-round emotional support services for students.

Dr. Rebecca Eliason, associate dean, Therapeutic Schools of SINAI and co-founder of Adir Academy, explained that “a child might need a therapeutic school when despite everyone’s best efforts, using all the resources and support available, the child continues to deteriorate.”  Dr. Eliason, who previously held the position of head of school and director of psychological services at Barnstable Academy in Oakland, New Jersey, emphasized that deterioration is a strong indicator, because when kids struggle emotionally, they tend not to stay stagnant.

Eliason gave a hypothetical example of a student with anxiety who may not be attending school or is attending but spends large portions of each day with the support staff. Eliason explained that, “In shorter increments, this should be an invitation to work with the school to build up the child. However, sometimes emotional dysregulation, school refusal and other types of challenges may inhibit a child’s ability to learn and function successfully. At that point, other types of interventions and possibly even other settings may be needed.” She also shared other types of concerns where a child’s safety may be at risk, and action should be taken to ensure the child receives a higher level of care without delay.

Adir Academy is designed as a therapeutic school focused on giving their students the skills they need. Eliason explained, “The strongest message I can convey to parents is to partner with your child’s school to come up with a plan if your child is struggling. Keep tweaking and trying.” Eliason explained that “only, when the adjustments are made and the available resources are just not enough, do you look elsewhere.”

Part of Adir Academy’s admissions process is consulting with the prospective student’s outside providers. “That’s a vital piece. We want to ensure that we are only accepting students who need Adir Academy. Of course, when a child does join Adir, we want full circle communication with the other professionals working with the student,” Eliason added.

Once enrolled, it’s important to monitor student’s struggles in school— the duration, the frequency, the severity—so parents can see what their child’s progress looks like, “because it’s often hard from within a challenging situation to gauge improvement. It may be getting better despite still being hard,” Eliason explained.

Adir will collaborate with existing schools to transition kids back into mainstream environments. Eliason continued, “We will help students create a transitional plan once they are ready and focus on the skills they will need.”

Each student’s day at Adir is individualized, with the goal to keep students in their regular classrooms, where they can use the skills they’re developing in therapy. This is because Adir is focused on giving students opportunities and support to generalize these skills in environments like the classroom, lunchroom and social situations.

“When they leave Adir, we want our students to be prepared to use those skills in generalized environments,” Eliason explained, “helping them generalize acquired skills is key, and part of the nuanced approach of Adir.”  In the instance of deep breathing exercises, for example, they might try it in their therapist’s office, yet fail in real anxiety-provoking situations, leading to panic attacks. “At Adir, we want them to practice in the classroom so they can learn to ward off escalations, and learn to apply those skills.”

Across these initiatives—Amudim, JOWMA, Adir—a common theme emerges: The Jewish community is moving from crisis response to prevention, education and normalization of mental health. Past taboos are giving way to conversations, schools are building emotional literacy, and a therapeutic high school is opening to intercept catastrophic outcomes. With strong leadership, culturally sensitive care, and community‑wide infrastructure, there’s a new momentum toward mental-health wellness.