The New Year: A Time to Focus on Mental Wellness

I cannot think of a better time to pay attention to your mental health than in the new year. Many create goals related to physical health for the new year, but as important is a focus on mental health. In fact, they go hand in hand; your mental health significantly influences your success in achieving the goals you set around your physical health. What many people don’t realize is January is a time mental health issues often become exacerbated.

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Howard Olshansky, JFS Executive Director

While December and the holidays often result in increased anxiety, stress, and depression, the lull following the holiday season can also result in deepened depression. Post-holiday blues can make it more difficult to readjust from the change in routine that happens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. In addition to the letdown after the holidays, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which corresponds with the darker, shorter days of winter, can have its greatest impact during the months of January and February.

Whether you struggle with post-holiday depression, SAD, or ongoing mental health issues, or just want to plan for “total wellness,” the new year is the perfect time to incorporate activities into your life to support mental wellness. “Proactively taking care of your mental wellness can prevent more serious problems from developing,” said Sheri Dawson, director of the Division of Behavioral Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. “Everyone has unique circumstances that contribute to maintaining mental wellness. Take some time this January to focus on personal wellness. Simple, no-cost strategies can improve your quality of life and increase your years of life.”

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are eight dimensions of wellness:

Emotional: coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships

Spiritual: expanding our sense of purpose and meaning in life

Intellectual: recognition of creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills

Physical: recognition of the need for physical activity, sleep, and nutrition

Environmental: good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being

Financial: satisfaction with current and future financial situations

Occupational: personal satisfaction and enrichment derived from one’s work

Social: a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system

Here are some tips to enhance your mental wellness:

Create a mental health wellness plan.

Create a guide of coping skills, people to talk to when you are in a stressful situation, and enjoyable activities to ensure that you maintain the balance between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Practice self-acceptance. Use the new year as an opportunity to practice self-acceptance.

Put yourself first. Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s important to take time every day for yourself and your mental health. This might include enjoying a hot bath, treating yourself to a movie or, spending time with family or friends. Do what helps you relax and recharge, and seek out experiences that have a calming effect.

Engage in social activities. Join a club, social group, or volunteer group, or find a community with a spiritual outlook you share.

Be mindful of your resources. Be creative about budgeting and spending your time, ener- gy, and finances.

Exercise. Exercising for at least 30 minutes every day can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Go for a walk, take a fitness class, or play a sport with friends and family.

Be grateful. Practicing gratitude every day can invoke feelings of thankfulness and optimism that make managing challenges easier. Don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake —everyone makes them.

Eat well. A balanced diet contributes to both physical and mental health.

Get enough sleep. Most health authorities recommend that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each day.

Finally, if you find you are unable to counteract the post-holiday blues and you are having difficulty managing your daily functions, ask for help. Contact Jewish Family Services at (704) 364-6594, or for more information, visit jfscharlotte.org.

Jewish Family Services Welcomes New Board Members and President

By Julie Loftis, JFS Marketing Specialist

Jewish Family Services (JFS) is excited to introduce five new board members beginning terms in 2022 along with our new president, Jennifer Golynsky. Jennifer joined the JFS Board in 2016 and has been a longtime JFS supporter. “JFS provides a wide array of services to so many people. The span of offerings and numbers of people it touches is impressive. I am honored to be part of such a dynamic and engaged board and to offer my support to the talented professionals who live the organization’s mission, vision, and values by engaging, connecting, and healing our community.”

As we begin 2022, we would like to thank our outgoing president, Louis Sinkoe, for his many contributions during his two-year term. Louis served on the board from 2011 to 2013, rejoined in 2015, and has served JFS for many years in a variety of capacities prior to joining the board. “What first drew me to get involved with JFS was the food pantry. I appreciate the necessary services that JFS provides to the community. JFS has a great board; people work together to solve issues to help the Jewish community be a better place.”

A warm thank-you and best wishes to two of our outgoing board members. Jan Weiner joined the board in 2015 and served as president from 2018 to 2019. Over the past six years, she has served on the executive, finance, personnel, and board development committees. Adam Levy served on the board from 2019 to 2021 and was a major initiator for the Live, Laugh, Give event. Adam and his wife, Kim, have been the entertainment underwriter for all three years of this event. We would also like to acknowledge and thank Suzy Catenazzo, Jonathan Collman, Andrea Cronson, Julie Dermack, Rachel Friedman, Meredith Gartner, Marcia Lampert, Matt Luftglass, Gene Marx, Nina Rose, Louis Sinkoe, and Steve Teich who will continue to serve on the board this year.

We appreciate all of the ongoing time and effort you give to support JFS. We are excited to welcome the following new board members:

Andrew Bernstein, a Charlotte native and lifetime member of Temple Beth El, his family’s membership spans four generations. Since 1992, he has worked with Johnson Control Fire Protection as territory suppression leader. Andrew has long been involved in the Jewish community, including teaching at Hebrew High and Temple Beth El and working at Camp Mindy.

Dan Coblenz has been a resident of Charlotte since 1965. He successfully operated a janitorial business for more than 50 years. He has volunteered with several of the agencies on campus, including the Butterfly Project, the Social Action Committee at Temple Israel, and JFS. In 1968 he married his wife, Nancy, in Temple Israel and is looking forward to celebrating his 54th wedding anniversary in 2022.

Joni Deutsch is active within the media community, currently serving as vice president of podcast marketing and audience development at Podglomerate, overseeing audio strategy for clients, including PBS and NPR stations, Stanford University, and Expedia. Joni most recently was podcast manager for WFAE where she received several awards, including The Webby Awards (called “the Internet’s Highest Honor” by The New York Times). Jennifer Koss, a social worker, has diverse experience providing community-based services to a broad range of clients. She currently serves as social action co-chair and board member for Women of Temple Israel and volunteers with the Federation’s Annual Campaign, Shalom Green, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Marvin Elementary, and in classrooms tutoring and as room parent for her daughter’s class.

Adina Loewensteiner served as co-chair of Live, Laugh, Give last year and will co-chair again at the 2022 event. She has volunteered as secretary of the Temple Israel board, board member and PTO co-president at Charlotte Jewish Preschool, and at the JFS Food Pantry. She has taught her children the importance of the food pantry by collecting donations in lieu of birthday presents and letting her kids deliver donations to JFS and help stock the pantry shelves.

Each member of the board is committed to the success of JFS’s full range of programming, counseling, and social service assistance. JFS helps those facing daily challenges, life’s transitions, new hardships, and unexpected crises. Programs provide education, engagement, counseling, food, care management, financial assistance, resources, and referrals. For more information, visit jfscharlotte.org.

Jennifer Golynsky, new president and active JFS board member since 2016

Jewish Family Services to Honor Kevin Levine and Louis Sinkoe at Live, Laugh, Give 2022

BY JULIE LOFTIS JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES

(JFS) is thrilled to announce the first-ever honorees for Live, Laugh, Give 2022. “This year we have the esteemed pleasure of recognizing Kevin Levine and Louis Sinkoe for their many contributions to JFS, the Jewish community, and the Greater Charlotte community,” said Howard Olshansky, JFS executive director.

Kevin and Louis, both Charlotte natives, demonstrate their strong belief in giving back and leaving the world and community a better place through their many actions and financial support in the Jewish community. Levine and Sinkoe have served our community through leadership roles with Temple Israel, The Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community, The Foundation of Shalom Park, the Hebrew Cemetery Association, the Jewish Federation, and Jewish Family Services. Sinkoe stated, “In my role as president of Jewish Family Services, I have directly seen the impact JFS’s services have on meeting the needs of our community. Kevin and I are flattered to be the first honorees of Live, Laugh, Give and look forward to inspiring others to help support JFS and the event.”

The event will feature comedian and actor Elon Gold, who has starred in FOX’s “Stacked” and NBC’s “In-Laws.” His one -hour stand-up special on Netflix, “Elon Gold: Chosen & Taken,” received wide acclaim from audiences and peers alike. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He has made 10 appearances on “The Tonight Show” and had a recurring role on the FOX hit show “Bones.” Elon was a writer/performer on ABC’s “The Dana Carvey Show” and has guest starred on “Frasier,” “The Mentalist,” and “Chappelle’s Show,” among others. He recently had stellar appearances on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” and Comedy Central’s “This Week at the Comedy Cellar.” His routines have gone viral and are shared by millions around the globe. He is also currently featured in the Hulu movie “The Binge,” and in season three of HBO’s “Crashing,” he plays his most challenging role yet … himself. Elon can next be seen opposite Larry David in a recurring role on the upcoming 11th season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Live, Laugh, Give comedy night brings together supporters, donors, volunteers, and community members for “a night of laughter, a lifetime of healing.” It’s no coincidence that JFS chose a comedy night event to raise funds for the organization five years ago. Study after study has proven that laughter has many physical and mental health benefits. According to MayoClinic.org, short-term benefits of laughter can include stimulating many organs, activating and relieving your stress response, and soothing tension. Long term, laughter may improve your immune system, relieve pain, increase personal satisfaction, and improve your mood. “At the time, we were looking to develop an event that would bring people together in a fun, entertaining atmosphere,” said Susan Meyer, development manager and co-creator of Live, Laugh, Give.

All proceeds benefit JFS’s programs and services to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families in our community, including therapy, parenting support, financial and food assistance, domestic violence resources, senior engagement, case management, Holocaust survivor and family support services, and aging support, including home visits, housing transitions, and caregiver support groups. With expertise, compassion, and an emphasis on maintaining dignity, JFS staff are dedicated to working with clients to develop individualized plans. By uplifting, strengthening, and empowering individuals and families, JFS helps those in need when they need it the most. Save the date for our upcoming Live, Laugh, Give comedy night on Sunday, June 12, 2022 ,for “a night of laughter, a lifetime of healing.” For sponsorship opportunities, contact Susan Meyer at (704) 364-6594 or Susan.Meyer@jfscharlotte. org. To learn more about Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte, visit jfscharlotte.org, email info@jfscharlotte.org, or call (704) 364-6594.

Giving Thanks and the Festival of Lights: Two Holidays Come Together

The first night of Hanukkah begins in November this year, just three days after Thanksgiving. They are two separate, unrelated holidays celebrated for different reasons with unique traditions, but when you think about it, they actually have a great deal in common.

Charlotte Jewish News November 2021
By Julie Loftis

The first Thanksgiving meal was a celebration among colonists and Indigenous Americans, an event commemorating the end of a successful harvest despite fighting the harsh winter and widespread disease. Pilgrims in attendance, many of whom had sought refuge in the new land to escape religious persecution, were able to enjoy religious freedom.

According to Tzvi Freeman on Chabad.org, “That’s Hanukkah, as well: a narrative deeply embedded in the collective Jewish psyche of how we fought back against religious oppression in our own land, earned our freedom, and thanked G-d for the miracles.”

Today we celebrate the warmth of the season of overcoming obstacles and focusing on gratitude during the Thanksgiving meal and lighting of menorahs.

Lighting the menorah commemorates the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days instead of one. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, reminds us to bring light into dark, hope where there had been none. We can symbolically spread light in our community by carrying out our task of tikkun olam, repairing the world. Our world can be transformed by kindness. However, during a holiday season when giving thanks is the norm, Jewish Family Services (JFS) is responding to the needs of those who have a hard time seeing the light or finding thankfulness in their world.

During this holiday season, JFS works hard to not only respond to people’s day-to-day challenges but also to ensure that members of our community who are struggling can also enjoy some of the holiday traditions many of us take for granted. It is also when we rely on those who want to help support our efforts. Below are just a few ways that you can help JFS provide individuals and families with the opportunity to celebrate the miracle of the Festival of Lights or truly give thanks over a Thanksgiving meal and meet the ongoing needs of our community.

Donate to the food pantry: Food is a must for any holiday! During this time of year, we stock up the pantry to make sure everyone in our community has the necessary supplies to “fix all the trimmings” for a holiday meal and that nobody goes hungry.

Grocery gift cards: For some families, purchasing a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner could mean not paying a utility bill or purchasing gas for their car. For Thanksgiving, JFS supplements food pantry orders with gift cards to allow families to enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Gift cards ranging from $10 to $50 can help families with needs ranging from purchasing just the turkey to those who need help with the full meal.

Dreidel Drive (October 11-November 10): Help us bring connections, smiles, and light to children, grandparents, seniors, and survivors to celebrate this joyous holiday. Participation is easy — purchase a gift card, indicate the amount on the gift card, and turn it in to JFS. Preferred gifts cards include Target, Walmart, grocery stores, or Amazon (hard copy, no digital gift cards, please).

Family to Family Annual Campaign: While the holiday season may last a couple of months, the needs of our community last throughout the year. Our Family to Family campaign is a major source of funding that ensures we can meet the needs of those in our community affected by issues such as mental health, aging, food and financial insecurity, and family violence all year long.

Volunteer your time: JFS has a variety of opportunities, including helping the food pantry, visiting seniors, assembling and/or delivering birthday bags or holiday bags, and many other ways you can contribute your time.

To get more information on any of these opportunities to support our community, please visit our website at www.jfscharlotte.org or call us at (704) 364- 6594. Donations and gift cards can be mailed to Jewish Family Services, 5007 Providence Rd., Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28226.