ABOUT THE BOOK The Blue Dove Foundation believes Jewish prayers and rituals can help to strengthen our mental well-being, resilience, and recovery. Faith is an important part of healing for many, and Jewish thinkers and leaders historically have brought the two together. Creating this book during a pandemic-induced, certifiable mental health crisis confirmed for us the strong connection between faith and healing.* When someone is ill or recovering from an illness or an accident, we often recite a mi sheberach to wish them a refuah shleimah, a “complete healing” or “full recovery.” But Jewish tradition invites us to adapt and interpret texts in ways that create meaning for the needs of our times. Today, that need is wishing a “complete healing” for those struggling with mental health. The mi sheberachs shared here come from a series of ongoing workshops presented by the Blue Dove Foundation in partnership with various Jewish organizations across the globe. The workshops explore Jewish values and prayers as they relate to mental health, and one of the activities is for participants to write their own mi sheberach with a partner on a mental health topic that speaks to them. The results of this exercise did not disappoint! We were inspired by these impromptu prayers and are pleased to share them with our readers. We wish we could have included all of them in this book and hope we can use them in the future. In creating our own versions of a traditional Jewish prayer for healing, we can engage with Jewish text in a way that is personal, meaningful, and impactful in our own lives. We encourage you to explore what a mi sheberach might look for you, your loved ones, and your community.
4
