All Crown Heights Schools Join Suicide Prevention Day

By COLlive reporter

An upcoming suicide prevention training course in Crown Heights has filled up within days, with hundreds signing up for the course to be held this Sunday.

Every Crown Heights school is participating in some way, with teachers, principals and staff signing up for the training, as well as encouraging parents to attend.

The 3 courses, each an in-depth 3-hour program, will be presented by Rabbi Yarden Blumstein, a Chabad Shliach in Michigan, founder of UMatter, and certified LivingWorks trainer.

The response to the event has been overwhelming, with organizers receiving “constant calls, emails, and chats in the street of support and encouragement,” Chaviva New, Director of the Neshamos Organization who is organizing the event, told COLlive.

“At first we were a little worried to throw around a big word like ‘Suicide’ although it was joined with ‘prevention.’ Just reading it hurts my eyes,” Chaviva New says.

“We were worried that maybe it was too intense for the community. But we see what’s going on, and we know what we need to do and decided to go ahead with it regardless.

“Our fears were washed away when we saw the incredible response and words of encouragement, and the now totally full workshops,” she says.

Mrs. Shaindel Tiechtel, principal of Bais Rivkah High School, has attended a past training course by Rabbi Blumstein, and has arranged for staff, principals and social workers of Bais Rivkah to attend.

“It is critical that the community attend the event, because we are in a real crisis,” Tiechtel said. “I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is for the community at large to come out for the event, to be there, and hear and learn what they can do to help,” she said.

There is currently a large waiting list for the workshops, which will be organized to take place again in the near future, due to the demand.

The courses this Sunday will be followed by a community-wide event with Rabbi Blumstein, at 8:30 pm at Razag Ballroom, 739 E. New York Avenue, Brooklyn.

“After seeing the response, I have renewed confidence that the community we live in is not looking for an easy way out through denial,” New says. “We are ready and willing to work on our issues, however hard they are to face.”