From the Desk of CEO Judy Halper: January 2025

Tragedies from New Orleans to Las Vegas and Los Angeles are sadly the tale that begins this new year. We even lost our one and only centenarian former president. It’s a lot in a short amount of time. Proximity of events is not a necessary factor when considering trauma and impact, but we are nevertheless absorbing quite a lot of stressful and disturbing things in short order.

So, what do we do? Identifying stress can be step one; and then making a plan to manage it is a good place to start. Stress management means many different things and includes a lot of various tools. One thing that seems to make a difference is keeping to a routine. Maintaining our normal activities and schedules can be a helpful way to manage stress.

Staying connected is another important step. Reaching out to others is not only useful for yourself; it may serve as a lifeline to someone else who has less accessibility or fewer connections. Healthy behaviors such as limiting one’s intake of social media and regulating the amount of news you consume are also necessary and vital ways to manage during difficult times.

You can find a trove of information related to wellness, well-being, and mental health on JFCS’ website, www.jfcsmpls.org. It features new and archived information and resources for you and those you know who can benefit from caring and compassionate professionals.

While the new year may have started out rocky, Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis, with its large menu of programs and services, can be your resource for how to manage and navigate.

Here for all. Always.