In the days following October 7, synagogues filled not only with prayers but with raw grief. Rabbis found themselves acting as both spiritual guides and emergency counselors, offering solace to congregants grappling with unimaginable loss.
Mental Health First Aid Israel recognizes that for many Israelis, healing cannot be separated from faith. Jewish tradition offers rituals of mourning—shiva, Kaddish, yahrzeit—that structure grief and embed it in community.
But faith can also be tested. Some survivors ask, "Where was God?" MHFA encourages spiritual caregivers to meet such questions with patience rather than answers. Doubt, after all, is a form of dialogue.
Rabbis trained in MHFA learn to identify when spiritual struggle becomes mental health crisis, and when to gently refer congregants to professional care.
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