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The Oakland Press every day.

Reach for Hope suicide prevention
program, which she chairs. It will
meet at Temple Beth El every other
Tuesday starting in November.
Dorit Silver, a therapist, is volun-
teering as facilitator.
"I've had several patients in this sit-
uation, and out of that came my belief
that a support group could be helpful
because people often go through simi-
lar emotions," she said, noting that
suicide survivors often face related
psychological conflicts years after the
suicide itself.
Although open to gentiles, the
group — the only suicide survivor sup-
port group under Jewish auspices in
the Detroit area — is focusing its out-
reach on Jews. Rabbi Sheila Goloboy,
who staffs the Reach for Hope pro-
gram, will serve as a spiritual advisor.
._
"If they go in the direction of theo-
logical questioning or want to speak to
me, I'm available," she said.
Jewish law forbids those who have
committed suicide from receiving bur-
ial rites and from being buried in a
Jewish cemetery, but it defines suicide
quite narrowly: applying only when a
person takes his own life with clear
mind and with an announced intention
beforehand. Since the judgment of the
suicidal is often clouded by mental ill-
ness, Goloboy and other rabbis rarely
interpret the decision to end one's life
as a decision made "with clear mind."
"I think I'd go far in extending that
measure of mercy," said Goloboy. "I
would tend to give any person the
benefit of the doubt after the fact."
Reach for Hope attempted to start
a survivor support group last spring,
but did not garner enough interest to
sustain it. However, Rose and Silver
attribute the low turnout to minimal
publicity and insufficient planning
time and are optimistic that response
will be larger this time. Rose estimated
that there are "more people out there
than you'll ever realize" who could
benefit from the support group, which
will be "intimate" in size and respect
confidentiality.
"People who've gone through this
need an outlet," said Rose. "They
need to know they're not alone. Our
goal is to create a safe setting, a place
where people can be comfortable to
release a lot of their feelings." ❑

In addition to the support group,
Reach for Hope also offers suicide
prevention training, workshops
and other services. For more
information, call Rabbi Sheila
Goloboy:(248) 851-1100.

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9/18
1998

Detroit Jewish News

31

