As Hanukkah comes to a close this evening, hopefully, the Jewish community will be lighting the candles in the menorah with their families before partaking in the many traditions which make The Festival of Lights such a special occasion.

Every Hanukkah, you can’t help but think of those in the Jewish community that came before us and, faced discrimination for their faith, yet still lit their menorah every night. The Jewish community are proud of the resilience that they have had to show over the centuries they have been subject to oppression, encapsulated by the Maccabean Revolt which the community celebrate every Hanukkah.

In the modern world, the Jewish community, sadly, still face stigma, discrimination and other challenges. Mental health, for example, still remains as a huge concern in the community, with the National Jewish Student Survey conducted earlier this year, finding that 74% of Jewish students had lived experience of a Mental Health difficulty in the last 12 months.

NHS Talking Therapies data shows that in 2022/2023 that over 3,000 Jewish people were supported by the programme in one year alone and some organisations, such as JAMI (Jewish Association for Mental Illness), have been set up to focus specifically on reaching the Jewish community to support them with their mental health. There has been a lot of progress within synagogues as well, with conversations starting to happen about mental health and what role rabbis and temples can play in breaking down the mental health stigma that exists in the community, and wider society.

Hanukkah is, above all else, a commentary that the light will always prevail over the darkness. As the candles burn tonight, let us hope that message will be a significant one to those in the community struggling with their mental health.

Chag urim sameach!

Article written by Charlie Campion, External Affairs & Policy Manager

1.https://www.ujs.org.uk/the_national_jewish_student_survey_2024

2.https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06988/SN06988.pdf