[Image Description] Three staff members joyously laughing
As the BaMidbar team reflects on the last year, we are so proud of our impact. Your unwavering support ensures that Jewish youth and young adults have the confidence, skills, and community support to navigate life’s challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. At BaMidbar, we’ve developed proven models and programs that can impact the lives of youth and young adults in our community. As we look to the future, we know there is so much more that needs to be done.
As the year comes to a close, will you help us deepen our impact? When you make a gift to BaMidbar, you help:
Empower teens to be advocates for mental health and wellness, and support them in articulating a connection between their Jewish identity, understanding of mental health, and sense of personal resilience
Strengthen Jewish communal professional’s knowledge and skills to build a resilient and thriving young Jewish community and to support those they serve who are struggling
Expand adventure-based clinical services to teens and young adults struggling with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges
Your year-end gift helps us build a Jewish community that actively supports young people in cultivating mental health and wellness!
[Image Description] A team of Peer Wellness Fellows stand in a circle smiling down at the camera.
“The Wellness Fellowship this year taught me so many things, like how to destigmatize mental illness, how to reach out to someone you’re worried about, and what it’s like to struggle with depression. I would really recommend this program to anyone who would like to join. It gives you a sense of togetherness and belonging that you can’t find anywhere else.” – Boston Teen Wellness Fellow
MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR TEENS
Over the past year, BaMidbar reached 459 teens through mental health education programs.
Youth and young adults experiencing mental health challenges are more likely to turn to peers for support than to reach out to an adult or professional. Last year, BaMidbar launched the Peer Wellness Fellowship in partnership with the Jewish Teen Initiative at Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. The program leverages teens to increase awareness and decrease stigma around mental health in the Jewish community, and helps teens articulate a connection between their Jewish identity, understanding of mental health, and sense of personal resilience.
After a successful pilot of the program from September 2021 to May 2022, BaMidbar launched a second cohort of the program in partnership with CJP’s Jewish Teen Initiative in September 2022. BaMidbar also partnered with Foundation for Jewish Camp to offer two cohorts of a mental health internship for counselors, modeled after the Wellness Fellowship curriculum, in Spring and Fall 2022. We are thrilled to launch a third cohort of the Wellness Fellowship in Los Angeles in Spring 2023.
[Image Description] Professionals in conversation during a Mental, Emotional, and Social Health for Experiential Educators (MESH-EE) course
“Making the time to attend BaMidbar’s training was a gift, providing me three days of opportunities to immerse myself in learning and community. I feel nourished, seen, and inspired and look forward to using this experience to build mental health-informed experiences for my community” – Jewish Communal Professional
MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONALS
Informal educators, including Jewish community professionals, are oftentimes the first line of defense for a student struggling with mental health. These educators are uniquely situated to create positive environments where mental health can flourish. BaMidbar helps Jewish educators develop the knowledge and skills to build a resilient and thriving young Jewish community and to support those they serve who are struggling.
In 2022, BaMidbar partnered with 22 organizations to offer 65 mental health education programs for 1,599 Jewish communal professionals. Through seven cohorts of the Mental, Emotional, and Social Health for Experiential Educators course, we worked with 146 professionals to dive deeper into content and application.
Mental health education programs for Jewish communal professionals help effect systemic change by building a network of professionals who are equipped to recognize and address the mental health needs of their students and can use Jewish learning experiences to support mental, emotional, and social growth.
[Image Description] Two students smile at each other while eating s’mores
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for our son! Any successes our son realizes or course corrections he navigates will be supported in large part by the wisdom his therapist shared. Expecting work, setbacks, and hurdles moving forward but my hope is that our son is navigating with GPS now. We look forward to celebrating many milestones and successes together. We can’t wait to share his accomplishments with you as he puts the tools he learned at BaMidbar to good use.” – Wilderness Therapy Parent
CLINICAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Through wilderness-based journeys of self-discovery, hope, and healing, wilderness therapy students explored questions of meaning, values, and purpose, built skills, practiced healthy emotional expression, climbed mountains, and built a strong, supportive, and inclusive community. In Summer 2022, BaMidbar offered two cohorts of its 40-day wilderness therapy program.
In 2023, BaMidbar is preparing to drastically expand access to clinical services. We’re excited to share more as we release our new strategic plan in early 2023.
WE CAN’T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!
BaMidbar is working to ensure that Jewish youth and young adults have the confidence, skills, and community support to navigate life’s challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. Help us address mental health in the Jewish community. BaMidbar is a 501(c)3 public charity Tax ID# 87-2444477 and your donation may be tax-deductible.
