The trauma hotline of Manchester’s Rabbi AY Goldman and Shaya Halpern means no Jew has to suffer alone

Photos: Chaim Stanton

Rabbi AY Goldman and his colleague Shaya Halpern have trained over 100 volunteers to field phone calls from those struggling with anxiety, depression, self-harm inclinations, trauma, or who just need someone to listen. It’s not a referral service and not a place to get advice, but for those who need to be heard, the HelpLine hotline is a veritable safety net — because no Jew should have to suffer alone

IT was 12 a.m. on a Friday night soon after the HelpLine — a UK-based volunteer support line for people in trauma or crisis — was up and running. The volunteer manning the line had already gone to sleep, but when his phone rang on Shabbos, he knew it must be an emergency (the team was given a psak to answer the hotline’s phone on Shabbos). As he picked up, he heard a girl’s voice — she was outside, on a city bridge, on the verge of an act of utter desperation. He listened to her for a few minutes, offering up a prayer while doing his best to calm her down, but not knowing where any of those words of comfort and support would land.

A few days later, Rabbi AY Goldman, the HelpLine’s cofounder, received a call: “I’m the mentor of the girl who called in on Friday night,” said a woman on the other end. “I had once given her HelpLine’s number to call in case she needed support. Thanks to your volunteer, she went safely home.”

While the volunteers very rarely get feedback, Rabbi Goldman says this was clearly his sign from Above that their work was vital and, indeed, lifesaving.

Based in Manchester, UK., with over 100 trained volunteer call handlers located all over Europe, Israel, and the United States, the HelpLine is an anonymous way for adults and even children, to receive mental health support. Through phone or WhatsApp, anyone who is struggling with anxiety, depression, self-harm, or low mood, who feels the lingering trauma of past abuse or who simply needs to talk, can speak to a trained listener from the Jewish community.

The range of calls is enormous, and although Rabbi AY Goldman and Shaya Halpern originally saw their mission as helping teenagers when they founded the line five years ago, the largest demographic of callers has turned out to be those in the 20 to 40 age bracket, followed by teens.

Throughout the past year, with the war and hostage situation raging on in Israel and anti-Semitism surging throughout Europe and even the US, the surge in call numbers — about 2,000 a month — reflects wide-ranging anxiety and fear.

“We got calls from many students in crisis — these were people who were in relationships with non-Jews, people who knew little about being Jewish, but had suddenly encountered hatred on campus,” says Rabbi Goldman.