From the Desk of CEO Amy Weiss: August 2026

With the start of the Minnesota State Fair, we know that summer is beginning to wind down and we are entering a season of change. The long days give way to earlier evenings, familiar routines return, and families prepare for the start of a new school year. For many, this time brings excitement and possibility. For others, it can stir uncertainty, stress, grief, or anxiety. Often, it brings all of these feelings at once.

The back-to-school transition is more than a change in calendars and backpacks. It is an emotional shift for children, teens, parents, caregivers, educators, and grandparents. New classrooms, expectations, friendships, and schedules can affect mental health in ways that are easy to overlook. At the same time, routines, connection, and supportive relationships can help create steadiness and belonging.

This season also leads us toward the Jewish High Holidays, a time of reflection, return, and renewal. Rosh Hashanah invites us to consider what we hope to carry into the year ahead. Yom Kippur asks us to look inward with honesty and compassion. Together, these days remind us that new beginnings are not only about setting goals; they are also about healing, repair, forgiveness, and the courage to begin again.

Mental health belongs in this conversation. Emotional well-being is shaped by relationships, culture, identity, transitions, and access to care. Too many people still experience mental health challenges in silence. A new year – whether a new school year or the start of a new year on the Jewish calendar – invites us to ask: How are we caring for ourselves? Are we caring for one another? Who needs to know they are not alone?

These questions are at the heart of our Annual Mental Health Education Conference, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Beth El Synagogue. The Conference is free and open to all – it provides an opportunity to strengthen knowledge, connect to resources, reduce stigma, and build a community where asking for help is understood as a sign of strength. Watch your mailbox for registration information coming soon!

As we move into this season of change, I invite you to pause and notice what you need, check in on the people around you, and if you are in need of emotional support or resources, just call JFCS of Minnesota. We are Here for all. Always.