Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher LCSW serves as a specialist at
the URJ, offering consultation to congregations, lay leaders, educators and
clergy on creating caring communities that address the concerns of individuals
and families. By providing ways of enhancing congregants' emotional and
spiritual resilience as they face different life stages and emotional and health
challenges, membership is strengthened and transformed to a sense of belonging.
When synagogue members feel a sense of being understood, supported and valued
as they deal with such stressors as loneliness, family changes, depression,
substance abuse, caretaking of children, spouses or parents, acute or chronic
illness or unemployment and under-employment, they come to cherish their
tradition and community even more. Rabbi Mencher writes for Reform Judaism magazine and presents regularly on issues related to leadership development,
spirituality, health and family life at congregations, schools and organizations
throughout North America. She recently served as Rabbinic Consultant to UJA
Federation of New York in developing programming for congregations relating to
mental health issues and wellness. She has previously served as the Associate
Director of the URJ's Department of Jewish Family Concerns and as Associate
Rabbi of Temple Israel in Westport, CT. She has also served as a staff
consultant to Gilda's Club of Westchester (a cancer support program) and has
been involved in supervision, mentoring and teaching at Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York campus. Prior to her ordination
she was a member of the faculty of New York Hospital's Department of Psychiatry
and a child and adolescent therapist at the Jewish Board of Family and
Children's Services.
Rabbi Mencher is the major author of Resilience of
the Soul - Developing Spiritual and Emotional Resilience in Adolescents and their
Families, a program guide focusing upon how Jewish communities and tradition can
help adolescents and their families develop positive ways of managing stress and
difficult emotions. The book also provides information and suggestions about
ways the Jewish community can address depression, eating disorders, binge
drinking, substance abuse and self-inflicted violence. Very involved in the
building of communities of caring, Rabbi Mencher has sought to bring together
the wisdom of Jewish tradition and the knowledge derived from training as a
mental health professional. She has been a keynote speaker and workshop leader
at a number of conferences including those on Judaism in 2030:The Meaning of
Belonging in the Jewish Community of the Future; Social Work, Depression and
Spirituality and Creating Communities of Inclusion for People Living with
Disabilities. She has created on-line materials including webinars and
downloadable letters and articles drawing upon traditional and contemporary
sources to help individuals and congregations to respond to the current economic
crisis.
Rabbi Mencher was ordained by Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion (New York) in 1999. She received
certification from the Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and
Psychotherapy in 1989 and currently serves on the faculty of the Training
Institute. She earned her Master of Social Work degree from Hunter College
School of Social Work. She has participated in advanced training seminars on
reconnecting helping professionals with their core mission, promoting positive
child and adolescent development, pre-marital and marital counseling, supporting
bereaved children and adults, integrating mindfulness/meditation and emotional
regulation skills in managing depression and anxiety and on facilitating
empowering and calming responses to chronic and life threatening
illness.
Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher LCSW serves as a specialist at
the URJ, offering consultation to congregations, lay leaders, educators and
clergy on creating 
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