Have you lost a friend or family member to suicide? Do you know someone who is struggling because of a suicide loss?

If you need immediate help, please call or text 988 - The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are seeking grief counseling or group support, please reach out to our Mental Health Connect information and referral service.

We are here for you.

*This group is meeting via Zoom video conferencing.

JF&CS offers a nonsectarian support group for survivors of suicide loss. We provide survivors with a safe, supportive, and judgement free environment where they can express themselves, find comfort, hope, and resources with others confronting the pain and loss of a suicide.

The facilitators, Rabbi Suzanne Offit and Nancy Smith, both Board Certified Chaplains, have been trained by Samaritans of Boston and bring relevant professional and personal experience in the Jewish community to provide healing support in a safe space.

Download our flyer for more details.

When: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

We will also be offering a new group once a month specifically for parents who have lost a child to suicide. The group is currently planned to run from April through September.

For more information about either group, please contact Suzanne Offit at soffit@jfcsboston.org to learn more and discuss how we can be of assistance to you.

On the blog

Overcoming the darkness of stigma | Jewish Family & Children’s Service (jfcsboston.org)

Suicide in the Jewish Community | JewishBoston

Additional Resources for Suicide Loss Survivors

If you need support, call or text 988 - the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Betsy Englander, LCSW, JF&CS Mental Health and Wellness Engagement Manager
Samaritans, Greater Boston www.samaritanshope.org - 617-536-2460
Samaritans Statewide Crisis Help Line 1-877-870-HOPE (4673) (call or text)
DeeDee's Cry – deedeescry.com
The Trevor Project | For Young LGBTQ Lives – Call – 866-488-7386 or text 678678
Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention www.masspreventssuicide.org
Greater Boston Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition www.greaterbostonpreventssuicide.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – A free, 24-hour lifeline www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org - 800-273-TALK (8255), text TALK to 741741
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org
American Association of Suicidology – www.suicidology.org
No Shame On U – End Stigma. Save Lives – www.NoShameOnU.org
SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration www.samhsa.gov
Blue Dove Foundation – Transforming the Way the Jewish Community Understands Mental Health & Substance Abuse, www.thebluedovefoundation.org 404-490-2391
Refuat Hanefesh’s mission is to create a Jewish community that is more aware, respectful, and empathetic to people living with mental illness www.refuathanefesh.org

The organizations and websites are listed as a public service and are not endorsed or vetted by JF&CS.

“Mental Health in the Jewish Community” Facebook Group
“Jewish Grief, Loss, & Bereavement” Facebook Support Group
“Elijah’s Journey - Suicide Awareness/Prevention in the Jewish Community” Facebook Group

The Facebook Groups are listed as a public service and are not endorsed or vetted by JF&CS.

On September 30th, 2024, JF&CS hosted its Yizkor Remembrance event, "Remembering Loved Ones Who Died by Suicide" for a third year. Led by Rabbi Suzanne Offit and Nancy Smith, the community came together to remember those who have died by suicide and support those who live with this unique loss. You can view a recording of the event below.

On March 2nd, 2022, JF&CS held an online event "Suicide Loss in the Jewish Community: An Evening of Learning". This program brought the community together to learn about suicide loss and how to respond to its impact in the Jewish community. Please watch the recording below of the event; do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to get involved with the work JF&CS does with suicide loss survivors!