CHAI LIFELINE’S PROJECT CHAI TRAINS TEAM LEADERS TO RESPOND IN TIMES OF CRISIS

Project Chai, the Crisis Intervention, Trauma, and Bereavement department of Chai Lifeline, hosted a leadership training seminar at Chai Lifeline’s Manhattan headquarters on October 31. The session offered guidance to select volunteers on leading their community’s Project Chai teams and is part of the rigorous, formal training program all volunteers must undergo for providing intervention following crises and traumatic events.

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox and Project Chai Team Leaders

Chai Lifeline’s crisis intervention services currently offer families, schools, camps, and community organizations a variety of resources to help cope with a tragedy. In the first few hours after a crisis occurs, Chai Lifeline’s professionals and trained para-professionals are on the ground, offering support to the affected families and facilitating community responses. The role of Team Leader is currently held by community askonim, rabbanim, and lay people who are passionate about helping others and making a difference in their communities. Under the supervision of its directors, the team leaders coordinate intervention services to individuals and families undergoing crisis.

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox presents at Project Chai Team Leader Seminar

“Chai Lifeline’s Project Chai is a wonderful resource for the Jewish community to call upon in a time of, chalilah, a catastrophe,” said Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, Director of Interventions and Community Education at Project Chai. “The professional staff and volunteer, trained interventionists are culturally-attuned to the needs of our community and the protocols in place are hashkafically– and religiously-solid. Project Chai utilizes evidence-based tools which have been scientifically validated and are also thoroughly compatible with the Jewish lifestyle. We are also in constant contact with da’as Torah and leading poskim throughout the nation and around the world as needed.”

If you are in need of assistance, please contact Project Chai’s 24-hour crisis helpline at 855-3-CRISIS or e-mail crisis@chailifeline.org.