Emotional/Relational Health
Navigating one’s way toward a different social community is always challenging. Even if you don’t plan on radically changing your lifestyle, these kinds of transitions are fraught and present unique obstacles.
Project Makom’s support groups are managed by mental health professionals who are knowledgeable about the difficulties faced by those transitioning out of and into differing kinds of frum communities and understand the conflicts that such a transition entails. Project Makom also has the capacity to refer individuals to private counselors if needed.
Support group sessions that have been conducted or are planned include:
- Conflict resolution with family
- How to navigate when spouses are on two different religious paths
- Parenting
- Relationships
Judaica classes
Growing up, you might have been taught to approach Judaism in a certain way. Your questions may not have been addressed, or you may not have thought to even ask. Project Makom’s classes offer insight into different areas of of halacha and hashkafa. Please know that hashkafic questions are always legitimate, and that you have a right to seek answers to them.
Past classes have included:
- The Halachic Process
- The Existence of God
- A Rational Approach to Reading Torah
- Science and Torah
Career and Higher Education Sessions
You may want to know about getting your GED or going to college, or what career options are open to you. You may want to understand the difference between business dress and casual dress in the general world. You might want to know which universities are available in the NY metro area (many!)
Previous classes have included and will include:
- Job Searching Today
- How to Find a Career Suited For Your Personality
- Finance management
- What is College Like?
- How to conduct yourself in the business world
Mentoring
So you know you want to change your current community, or you’d like to explore other communities but don’t know how one goes about it? Here at Makom we have many volunteers who are ready to help in the following ways:
- Host you in their community for shabbos
- Learn a Jewish topic with you one on one
- Tutor you in a secular subject to obtain a GED
- Help with college applications or resumes
- Mentor you about being frum in a specific professional field
- Help you explore different Jewish school in their community
- Be a friend
To be matched with a volunteer mentor, Go to our SIGN UP page.
Ask the Scholar
If you have questions that haven’t been answered or that you were too afraid to ask, here is your chance. You can ask any question anonymously and receive an answer to whatever contact information you provide. No question is too small, too large, or too controversial.
Social Support
Our members agree that the most valuable thing they gain from joining Project Makom is a deep sense of community. If you are feeling isolated and out of step, perhaps confronted with the rejection of your family, your friends, and/or your community, consider Project Makom. If you are wrestling with questions about where in the Orthodox world you belong, and what kinds of options are available to you, and how to get there, we are here for you, to help you figure this out. And always know that you are never alone.
Everyone in Makom is on the same journey. Everyone comes from similar backgrounds and are evolving and being challenged by similar struggles. Our members are uniquely understanding, empathetic, and tremendously supportive.