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Sessions

Thursday: Mental Health Symposium

Reconnecting With What Matters:
How Investing In Our Relationships Helps Us Thrive

Thursday May 4, 2023

7:30-9:00 PM EST

Dr. Rachel Goodman, Moderator

Co-Chair, Mental Health Shabbat 2022

Rabbi Zolly Claman

Rabbi, Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem

Allan Ptack, M.S.W., M.Mgmt

Social Worker, Psychotherapist, COO Agence Ometz

Connie DiNardo

AMI-Quebec

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, Keynote Speaker

Friday: Teen Mental Health Workshop

Stay Connected: The Power of Authentic Friendships

Friday May 5, 2023

10:00 AM EST

Dr. Miriam Kirmayer

This is a workshop for upper high school students.

Sessions

Shabbat Day: 

Saturday May 6, 2023

Stuart Katz

Director Nafshenu Alenu

BIO:

Best known for getting the job done in a quiet manner, Stuart is always leading by example – whether in the for-profit or not-for-profit sectors. He is a co-founder of the Nafshenu Alenu mental health educational initiative founded in 2022. He currently serves on the Board of Visitors of McLean Hospital, affiliated with Harvard University Medical School. He serves as Chairman of the Board of OGEN – Advancement of Mental Health Awareness in Israel; chairman of Mental Health First Aid Israel and a partner in “Deconstructing Stigma” in Israel. He is on the Board of Directors of the Religious Conference Management Association. He has counseled over 7,000 individuals and families in crisis in the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Syria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, and has volunteered over 900 hours on the Crisis Text Line. In addition to his expansive work of Mental Health First Aid in Israel, Stuart is an instructor for the program in the United States in both Standard and Youth Mental Health First Aid as well as an instructor in the following specialties: Mental Health In The Workplace, Mental Health For Older Adults, Mental Health For First Responders, Mental Health In Higher Education and Mental Health For Military Veterans and Their Families.

Rabbi Benyamin Bresinger

Director Chabad Lifeline

BIO:

Rabbi Benyamin Bresinger grew up in Montreal, where he completed his university degree at Concordia. After graduation, he continued his life education by traveling extensively, visiting over twenty-five countries world-wide. For his rabbinical education, Rabbi Bresinger studied at Toras Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, followed by higher education at the Rabbinical College of America Kollel in Morristown, N.J.
Rabbi Bresinger’s passion has always been working with recovering addicts. He became the pastoral counsellor for Jewish addicts in recovery for the Metro West Health and Healing Centre in New Jersey.
He has lectured extensively around the United States on the topic of spirituality and addiction.
In 2007, Rabbi and Mrs. Bresinger and their children moved to Montreal to be the directors of Chabad Lifeline. A Chabad house whose mandate is to serve everyone effected by addiction.

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