In honor of National Jewish Disability and Inclusion Month, Congregation Bonai Shalom is hosting Scholar-In-Residence,  Rabbi Anat Moskowitz on February 2-3, 2018.  Friday night, in conjunction with CBS’s popular First Friday Series she will be presenting her talk, “When the Diagnosis is Mental Illness and/or Addiction: How we as Jews Respond and Normalize” What are the connections between addictions and mental health and what is happening in the Jewish community to address it?  Services are at 6:00 pm, Dinner at 7:15 pm and talk around 8:00 pm.  BYOB Kosher wine or beer.  Dinner is $18 per member, $21 per non-member.  Please RSVP here by January 31 at bonaishalom.org or by calling 303-442-6605.

At Shabbat services on Saturday morning, Rabbi Moskowitz will present to the religious school students, “When you notice that your friend is always sad, what can you do?”  Knowing the difference between situational and ‘chemical’ sadness (depression).  What does Judaism say about how to respond?  Who are the trusted professionals and what are the resources? She will also provide the D’var Torah – Text study, Talmud, Midrash, and Torah are our guides to addressing, responding, and being present with those faced with mental Illness and addictions.

Rabbi Anat Moskowitz has worked in the Addictions community for over 20 years. She was a chaplain for AIDS patients in the Jewish community in the early days of the disease (late 80’s and early 90’s); she has led group healing and individual therapy sessions, and she has worked as a chaplain, in a prison, Air Force Academy, a college, hospice, and a hospital. She currently serves a congregation in Westminster – Congregation B’nai Torah.   Rabbi Moskowitz serves on the ADL and JNF boards as well as JEWISHcolorado committees.