36 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

F

riendship Circle, Friendship 
House and the Andrew Kukes 
Foundation for Social Anxiety are 
inviting all members of the community 
to join them in their highly anticipated 
One Thing I Wish You Knew event, 
which takes place on March 5. 
 Four speakers plan to share their 
personal stories of strength and hope, 
showcasing their resilience in the face 
of their mental health struggles.
According to the UMatter website, the 
event “will highlight the vulnerability and 
honesty of telling the people in our lives 
what we wish they knew about our jour-
neys … and the difficulty of sharing what 
occurs beneath the surface.”
One of the speakers is Emeri Charlip, 
11, of West Bloomfield, a 
Hillel Day School student 
and member of The Shul in 
West Bloomfield. She will 
be sharing her experiences 
from when her sister battled 
a drug addiction.
“My sister went through 
something horrible; it affected her in 
so many ways, and it also impacted her 
family. It’s scary,” Emeri said. “I hope to 
inspire kids to not keep their feelings 
inside and to get help for themselves, 
too.”
Emeri began attending UMatter 
events in 2022 and said it had been a 
beacon of support during a turbulent 
time.
Another speaker is Nate Soverinsky, 
16, of Farmington Hills, 
a junior at Frankel Jewish 
Academy and member 
of B’nai Israel in West 
Bloomfield. Nate will be 
talking about his battle with 
anorexia. 

“The point I’ll be making is that 
asking for and accepting help is the 
bravest thing you can do. It doesn’t 
make you weak; it makes you stronger,” 
said Nate, who is on the UMatter 
Board. 
“UMatter has given me a place to 
speak and given me a voice when I 
didn’t think I had one. It’s a place for 
everyone to be heard … If my speech 
helps even one person, then my job is 
done,” Nate said.
Other presenters are Neda Ebrahimi, 
a counselor at Cranbrook Schools, and 
Jonas Annear, a student at Seaholm 
High School. 
The program will also host a 
community resource fair, featuring both 
well-known and lesser-known supports, 
and, just for fun, a photo booth. 
This is the fifth yearly One Thing I 
Wish You Knew event. Last year, 250 
people attended in person and another 
800 attended virtually. 
UMatter, started locally, has branched 
into several states and Friendship 
Circles internationally, but the One 
Thing I Wish You Knew event is unique 
to Michigan. The event is open to all 
members of the community, including 
those without mental health struggles. 
Other UMatter programs include 

TeenTalks, an informal teen support 
group facilitated by teens, on 
Wednesday nights and informal Teen 
Shabbat dinners, where one speaker 
shares their mental health story. 
Previously, shame and isolation 
were part of the painful parcel of 
mental health issues. UMatter exists to 
diminish this stigma, as well as to create 
community, friendship and support. 
According to Madeline Kahl, assistant 
to UMatter director Rabbi 
Yarden Blumstein, “There 
are plenty of people who 
come to UMatter just 
looking for community. It’s 
a good starting point when 
their family and friends 
might not even know that 
they struggle. We’re talking about 
mental health more now. We’ve bought 
it more definition; we’re more aware of 
the challenges.”
One Thing I Wish You Knew takes 
place March 5 at Seaholm Auditorium, 
2436 W. Lincoln, Birmingham, from 
5-6:30 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. for 
the resource fair. Admission is free. 

Register at https://onethingevent.org. For the 

Zoom link or for more information, email yarden@

friendshipcircle.org.

UMatter’s annual event hopes to abolish the stigma 
associated with mental health challenges.
One Thing I Wish You Knew

Emeri 
Charlip

Nate 
Soverinsky

Madeline 
Kahl

ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

