Sustaining Jewish Women's Great Strength
"For Jewish women — who often carry the emotional weight of entire families, who hold tradition in one hand and modern responsibility in the other — that healing work becomes a sacred act."
By Amy Salman
Last week, I had the honor of speaking to the Women of Emanu-El in New York at their annual meeting and luncheon on health and wellness. It was a beautiful, welcoming space filled with warmth, wisdom, and the unmistakable energy of Jewish women gathered together with purpose. But this wasn’t just another wellness talk. It was different. The timing. The context. The people. All of it shaped a deeper meaning behind the words I spoke.
As someone who guides others through healing — body, mind, and spirit — I’ve long believed that true wellness cannot exist in isolation. We are all shaped by our environments, our communities, and our stories. And in this moment, when Jews around the world are experiencing fear, grief, and uncertainty, the need for collective care feels more urgent than ever.
We gathered in a room that quickly became sacred through the honesty shared and the intention set. The theme was health and healing, but we all understood the unspoken layer underneath: How do we care for ourselves when our people are hurting? How do we tend to our own bodies and minds when we’re carrying generational trauma and the weight of current events?
These are not theoretical questions. They are embodied ones — felt in our sleepless nights, our tight chests, our anxious minds, and our depleted spirits. I didn’t come with a prescription or perfect plan. I came to hold space. To offer what I know from guiding clients through chronic stress, autoimmune disease, weight loss, and burnout. And to remind each woman there: Your healing matters. Not just for you — but for your family, your community, and the world we’re all trying to rebuild.
Wellness, in its truest form, is not a trend. It’s not celery juice or step counts. It’s about creating safety in your body when the world feels unsafe. It’s about building resilience in your nervous system so that you can still show up with compassion, clarity, and strength. And for Jewish women — who often carry the emotional weight of entire families, who hold tradition in one hand and modern responsibility in the other — that healing work becomes a sacred act.
In our time together, we explored the foundations of well-being: nourishment, rest, stress management, connection, movement, and mindset. But more than anything, we explored what it means to listen — to truly listen — to our bodies. Because when we quiet the noise of “shoulds” and expectations, we often find that our bodies are incredibly wise. They tell us when we need to slow down. They show us when we’re out of alignment. They whisper (or shout) when something isn’t working.
These indicators do not comprise weakness. Rather, wisdom.
I encouraged the women to think about wellness not as a destination, but as a practice. Something we return to again and again, even in imperfection. Especially in imperfection. Because showing up for yourself amidst chaos is powerful. Reclaiming your health in a world that tries to diminish you is resistance. And healing in community — as we did that day — is transformational.
There were “ahah” moments. There was laughter. There was a collective exhale that you could feel in the room. And in those moments, I was reminded of something I’ve always believed: Jewish women are the backbone of our communities. We are nurturers, leaders, caregivers, connectors. And we are also allowed to be held. To be cared for. To prioritize our own well-being.
In this time of global unrest and visible antisemitism, it is easy to fall into a state of fear and depletion. But we cannot afford to abandon ourselves. If anything, now is the time to root even more deeply into what strengthens us: community, tradition, faith, and embodied self-care.
I left that day feeling deeply grateful — not only for the opportunity to speak, but for the reminder that my work is more than coaching; it’s witnessing. It’s holding space. It’s helping people return to themselves. And when I do that in Jewish spaces, it feels like a homecoming.
To the Women of Emanu-El: thank you for your presence, your stories, your openness. Thank you for showing up, not just for me, but for yourselves. I hope you continue to nourish your bodies, honor your rhythms, and trust that your healing is not selfish — it’s sacred.
May we all continue to find strength in one another. And may our collective wellness be a light in dark times.
AMY SALMAN is a Holistic Nutritionist, Wellness & Recovery Coach and Founder of The Wellness Map. She is also a coach and board advisor for the Lean In mentoring program.
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