Lost and Found

When I arrived at Camp Nageela on Friday afternoon, I knew it would be an intense Shabbos because I’d been invited by an amazing organization called Chazkeinu to be part of their rabbinical support team.

Chazkeinu is a movement that connects women going through the challenges of mental illness, as being connected to others going through the same or similar challenges helps to remove the feeling of isolation and loneliness from those struggling. And although I was there to give chizuk, I received more than I gave. I met so many women who, despite seemingly hopeless situations, held on to their emunah and reclaimed their mental stability. Women who had lost their menuchas hanefesh merited having Hashem restore their tranquility after almost giving up on ever getting it back.

I was assigned to a room called the library, which contained many Jewish books, a real hodgepodge collection, all in English.

But one book seemed out of place, seemed to cry out, “Help me, I’m not in my right place, I’m lost!”