In response to the tragic plane crash which claimed the lives of two beloved members of the Cleveland Jewish community, Chai Lifeline’s Crisis Team has been providing immediate and ongoing support to local organizations and schools.

“As soon as the terrible news broke, several community leaders and heads of school reached out to Chai Lifeline for assistance,” said Rabbi Shlomo Crandall, director of Chai Lifeline Midwest. “The Chai Lifeline Crisis Services team has been working around the clock with various organizations and individuals to provide resources, consultations, and guidance.”

On Tuesday evening, January 24, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, director of Chai Lifeline Crisis Services, will present a community-wide webinar on “The Challenge to Be Supportive to Others and to Care for Ourselves and Our Children During Tragic Times.” The webcast is organized by Naaleh, a nonprofit focused on emotional and mental wellbeing in the Cleveland Jewish community, in conjunction with Yeshiva Derech HaTorah, Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, and Chaviva High School for Girls.

“A traumatic event such as this can have a wide-reaching and long-lasting impact on a community,” said Dr. Fox. “We are working together with the Cleveland community’s rabbanim and educators, as well as Naaleh, to coordinate an effective response that is sensitive to the specific needs of their children and families.”

Rivka Recht, LPC, of Chai Lifeline Midwest, will also be speaking to students and educators at local schools, providing individual consultations and counseling.

With more than two decades of experience responding to all forms of personal and communal crises, Chai Lifeline is a leader in crisis intervention and trauma response. Chai Lifeline’s Crisis Services provide families, schools, shuls, camps, and community organizations around the globe with a wide range of resources and support services. In 2022, Chai Lifeline led 2,317 crisis and trauma interventions to more than 10,000 people.

“Balancing the needs of the individual families and a community reeling, requires a lot of coordination, triage, and a level of sensitivity that our team is known for,” said Rabbi Mordechai Gobioff, MSW, Chai Lifeline National Director of Client Services. “Chai Lifeline is here to help, and we encourage anyone in need of support to reach out.”

If you or someone you know are in need of support, please contact Chai Lifeline’s Crisis Services team at 855-3-CRISIS or [email protected]. Learn more at www.chailifeline.org/crisis.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)