Pathways to Progress: Mental Health and High Holy Days

Sojourn will be discussing the ways that the upcoming High Holy Days can affect mental health with a fantastic panel!

Rabbi Salem Pearce, Director of Spirituality at the Institute for Southern Jewish Life, will be in conversation with a representative from the Blue Dove Foundation, an organization dedicated to transforming the way the Jewish community understands and responds to mental illness.

The conversation will be moderated by SOJOURN’s very own Executive Director, Rebecca Stapel-Wax, a licensed professional counselor herself.

Panelists

• Rabbi Salem Pearce (she/her) is the Director of Spirituality at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), where she brings warm, inclusive Jewish experiences to small communities throughout the South. Ordained in 2018 by Hebrew College, Rabbi Pearce’s career has exemplified values of justice, compassion, and service to all. Most recently serving as the Executive Director of Carolina Jews for Justice, Rabbi Pearce has also worked for T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and several synagogues and community organizations. The Spirituality division of the ISJL specifically serves communities too small to have their own local full-time Jewish clergyperson. From community visits to officiating lifecycle events, remote counseling, sending weekly Taste of Torah emails, and more, the ISJL’s Spirituality team is committed to supporting, connecting, and celebrating Jewish life in even the smallest of communities. Rabbi Pearce originally hails from Houston. Personally and professionally, she has strong ties to the southern region.
• Carly Coons, LSW, (she/her) is the Director of Education and Programming at the Blue Dove Foundation, leading the organization in curating and creating mental health resources that integrate Judaism and mental wellness into communities with intention. Before joining Blue Dove, Carly built a career in the Jewish community, focusing on youth and summer camp programming. Carly’s work is enriched by her education as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and a Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Carly lives in Denver, CO where she’s recharged and motivated by exploring the mountains and with her family and friends.