Too little help

Last week, the big news in The Jewish Standard was the acceptance of the disabled and those with learning disabilities and developmental issues into the framework of our synagogues. Why has it taken so long? Why should it even be an issue?

Worse than how long it took to accept them is how the mentally ill continue to be ignored. There is no welcome mat laid out for them. Why are there no resources for the mentally ill, no group homes, no free psychiatric clinics?

The stigma of mental disease is not new to the Jewish community. It is as old as time. Yet it remains a closet issue.

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When will The Jewish Standard address this issue, not in platitudes, but in serious terms?

Our community needs desperately to open this up for discussion, for awareness, for funding. How heartbreaking that there is no one prepared to open that discussion.