It has been a month since the new school year kicked off at KU, and Chabad has hosted many successful events. From Shabbat dinners, social events, educational classes and more, many students have become engaged and active in Jewish life on campus.
As the Jewish new year approached, KU Chabad wanted to do something to ensure it was meeting the most pressing needs of the student community. With this in mind, KU Chabad has launched a brand-new initiative called ReJOYvenation 360, a multifaceted and broad initiative aiming to create a full spectrum of emotional support for Jewish students at KU.
For the last 13 years, Rabbi Zalman and Nechama Tiechtel have offered all the perks typical of a campus Chabad center. But the campus is changing.
“Our incoming students over the last three years have different challenges than those who previously entered as freshmen,” said Nechama Tiechtel. “We are dealing with a very stressed-out generation, whether it stems from social, familial or educational dynamics. We realized that we need to look out for these very basic needs.”
Nationally, 80% of students report feeling overwhelmed with stress; 70% of college students take antidepressants or anxiety meds; more than 30% have been unable to function because of severe depression; and 10% seriously contemplate suicide, which is the second leading cause of death on contemporary American campuses.
“Every college student that I know is completely stressed out at any given point,” said KU senior Julia Roston. She believes that college culture is inherently challenging because of the late nights, stressful workload, social pressures and poor dietary options. The music major said she beats the tension “with the help, support and guidance of Rabbi and Nechama.”
With their parents hundreds or thousands of miles away, students turn to the Chabad House when they are in crisis. The Tiechtels loving presence is an effective stopgap measure, but they recognized that more is needed. They therefore rolled out an extensive campaign to promote mental health and fight the stigma of mental illness. ReJOYvenation 360 is a holistic, all-encompassing effort is aimed to provide students with the support, resources and skills to achieve mental wellness.
The first launch event of the semester featured a kosher dinner and a roundtable discussion among peers about handling the stress of college life and embracing our own struggles within. The event was titled “Breaking the Stigma” and featured an open conversation about the challenges student face and how they can support each other toward a better place. The discussion was facilitated by a mental health professional who provided insight and guidance to the student participants.
A committee of students are spearheading this initiative and are providing leadership and direction for its future programs. Adam Segal and Paige Breyfogle are co-chairing this project. Segal shared how he “really was excited to jump on this opportunity to help my fellow students at KU. I feel mental health is a very big issue especially on college campuses. I feel that if we can help just one student it will make it worth it.”
Sophomore Breyfogle is eager to see many students participate and take advantage of these incredible resources to enhance their lives and their college experience.
“It is a really important program,” she said. “It is a really necessary program.”
Among the many programs that are to be unveiled as part of the ReJOYvenation 360 mental health initiative are more ongoing dinners and discussions on topics related to mental health and well-being, a series of workshops including a SafeTalk seminar on being a better listener as a tool to help prevent suicide, a Sober Dating course offering practical guidance and tools to navigate this often stressful phase in college, a Mental Health Stress Management discussion and more.
Four times a semester, Nechama Tiechtel leads an Girls’ Dessert and Discussion, filled with unfiltered, meaningful dialogue.
“There is no one there to impress,” she said. “It’s a safe, beautiful, feminine haven — a judgment-free zone.”
Over healthy snacks and elegant desserts, the students have discussed how to handle modern social pressures and family challenges.
ReJOYvenation becomes especially important during finals week, which is a particularly stressful time for any student. KU Chabad will be distributing care packages, serve midnight breakfast and offer Zumba classes. The Chabad Midnight Breakfast is another great way to alleviate their stress, as students stop in to socialize with their peers and take a much-needed study break over delicious fresh food.
Another time that support is crucial is when students fall ill and are alone in their dorm room recovering. Chabad’s ever popular Chicken Soup Hotline always brings a lovingly prepared cup of hot chicken soup, along with a reassuring hug and a warm smile.
For many students getting the help they need is often scary and daunting; it may be riddled with shame and not always can they turn to their parents. At times students need an additional advocate to help them find the professional help to meet their needs. As part of this program, KU Chabad staff has been referring students to professional help, accompanying students to a health center and have also provided financial support if a student may not be in a position to pay for mental health services.
Support for this new initiative comes from donors who are passionate about mental health and from a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
Melissa Hoffman DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and a strong mental health advocate in Douglas County. She is the founder of Build Your Village and president of PSI Kansas. She participated in the launch event of the ReJOYvenation program and served as the discussion facilitator on the topic of “Breaking the Stigma.”
She shared that, “Unfortunately, stigma remains a barrier to engaging in mental health services and treatment. I applaud the efforts of KU Chabad in recognizing the need to decrease the stigma related to mental illness. By encouraging discussion about mental health and increasing mental health education at this pivotal time in their young lives, Chabad is undoubtedly improving the well-being of students and impacting their future success.”
“It was an honor to be involved in the kickoff event for ReJOYvenation at KU Chabad,” she continued. “It was beautiful to hear the students’ reasons for being involved in this initiative and inspiring to hear their plans to make positive changes at the University of Kansas.”