Congregation Rodef Sholom developed the REAL campaign to bring an end to the stigma of mental illness in their Jewish community.

 

The Social Changery collaborated with the REAL team to find and implement creative ways to engage members of the synagogue, including an interactive community art installation about mental health. Commissioned by a local artist, the six-foot tall aluminum tree was built to symbolize that those impacted by mental health challenges are not alone.

 

The Tree For Life was unveiled at a special mental health shabbat, where service attendees were given the opportunity to respond to prompts about mental health on paper leaves, which they then brought to the bimah and attached to the tree, allowing the tree to bloom with life.

 

The activity created a space for participants to express their feelings in a safe way and has supported an ongoing community transformation at Rodef Sholom. The tree now lives in the lobby and blooms with hundreds of messages inspiring greater hope, compassion and community.