(Courtesy of Chabad) Good communication is the cornerstone of effective and satisfying interpersonal relationships. To that end, Chabad of New Jersey’s Mental Health Initiative (MHI) hosted an all-day training for the Chabad emissaries of our great state.

Focusing on both the personal and professional domains, Rabbi Aaron Herman, Rabbi Dr. Yossi Ives and Rivky Kaplan LCSW discussed “Conflict Resolution and Effective Communication.” The participants expressed gratitude that they left with practical tips and techniques—in addition to gaining a better understanding of the overall dynamics of relationships.

These back-to-back training sessions on November 1 and 2 were hosted by Rabbi Avrahom and Chava Bekhor in their beautiful new Chabad House in Randolph.

“The workshop provided concrete tools for engendering more cohesive and empathetic leadership within our organizational structure, which will be leveraged towards greater effectiveness providing vital mental health support to our constituents.” said Rabbi Chanoch Kaplan of Chabad of NW Bergen County.

Every rabbi or rebbetzin who participated in this training is eligible for a generous grant to host a mental health event in their community.

MHI, now in its third year, provides a broad spectrum of professional trainings, such as full-day workshops, the services of an on-call mental health consultant, subsidies for clergy families’ personal therapy needs, and annual conferences to help strengthen resilience amongst community leaders.

Chabad is grateful to Senator Richard Codey, a long-standing friend of the Rabbinical College and Rabbis Moshe and Mendy Herson, and Governor Phil Murphy, for their support of this initiative.