As many of you may already be aware, the jury selection for the trial of the perpetrator of the October 27th synagogue shooting will likely take place in April, followed by the legal proceedings. This event is something that brings up a variety of thoughts and feelings for individuals in our community, and as the months pass, you may begin to feel both expected and unexpected stressors. We all individually and collectively need and deserve compassion, care, and communal support, always and especially in this environment.
We believe long-term individual resiliency building is about holding space for people to feel their full range of emotions. We work to build diverse programs to support this need and invite friends into our offices to join with each other in joy and sorrow. On a communal level we know that our community is more resilient when we can see, celebrate, and value each other for our diversity of voices, emotions and thoughts. As we know, healing people can offer more healing, and therefore the more people who utilize healing activities, either through therapy or other wellness programs, the more resilient our community will be.
There are a multitude of opportunities for engagement this winter and spring, and we encourage you to find something, perhaps even a program or event that is new to you, to experience. Many of these programs are ones we have found beneficial in the past, and some are brand-new, but we hope all will work towards long-term community resiliency and in preparation for the depth of emotions that we may experience as a community anticipating the April trial.
We’ve coordinated resources, events, and programming for learning self-care, community-building, and practical skills. These programs include:
Refaeinu: bimonthly Jewish healing circles open to anyone who seeks to create community in shared healing rituals, Jewish texts and music, art making and embodied wellness practices
U.S. Law and Criminal Justice from the Community Perspective: a three-session community course, geared to lay-people, to support learners in their understanding of the U.S. criminal legal process, our systems of justice, and criminal trials
Improv classes where community members can laugh, connect, and build friendships together in a space where you cannot make a mistake—just have a good time and let yourself play
Please call, email, or visit our center to learn more, or check out our website for the full list of offerings this season.
As always, we provide a drop-in space from 9am to 5pm every weekday in our office suite on the third floor of the Squirrel Hill JCC, and we have counseling referrals and short-term counseling available for those seeking it. We also have a variety of private offerings for those directly impacted by October 27th and for those who will be present at trial.
We hope you will take advantage of the self-care, community care, education, and other resources provided here. Fostering compassion and clarity is both beneficial for each of us individually and towards ensuring that we can be helpful in creating emotionally safe space for others to feel the breadth and depth of their own emotions.
In solidarity,
MaggieFeinstein Director 10.27 Healing Partnership
