Meet Avnei Chein
PRECIOUS people helping PRECIOUS people.
Supporting patients, and their families, in Mental Health Crisis
Advocating, guiding, and escorting people through the maze of mental health services to the point where they can survive, thrive and flourish independently, Avnei Chein was created to fill the huge gap in mental health support in our community. This comprehensive advocacy organization provides a dedicated Crisis Support Manager to individuals, and their families, to walk hand in hand through the complex social welfare, police, justice, medical and mental health systems, to ensure they receive individualized care based on their unique set of needs.
Avnei Chein was created by a group of deeply concerned and motivated individuals who recognized a clear pattern of destructive and harmful interactions for people suffering in mental health crises due to the lack of patient advocacy, awareness of programs, lack of resources and other causes. Along with a team of advisors to guide them (Psychiatrists, Social Workers, Therapists, Community Activists and the community Rabbis), these individuals established Avnei Chein, in the hopes of creating a completely unique program. Since its founding, it has become drastically apparent how needed this project is. Due to the nature of mental illness, many families are suffering alone, without knowing where to turn.
Our team are passionate “ambassadors” for families and individuals affected by mental illness. We stand by their sides and advocate for them while they go through counseling and therapy. We will ensure home support in their time of crisis until the entire family is rehabilitated and able to navigate the various mental health systems on their own.
Our Amazing Support Team
Jenny Krainess
Crisis Support Manager
Jenny, a parent coach and consultant, has worked for over fifteen years with families facing mental health challenges, disabilities, and have intense or challenging children, teens, and young adults. Her extensive experience as a Nurtured Heart Approach Advanced Trainer provides personal and effective support for the people that she works with. Jenny’s passion to help families become knowledgeable and empowered helps pave the way for them to find strength and hope.
Yossi Wachtel
Crisis Support Case Manager
Yossi is an experienced Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the individual and family services industry. He is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Customer Service, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Planning, and Youth Work. Yossi is a strong program and project management professional with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) focused on Special Education and Teaching from Michlala.
Adina Brodsky, LMSW
Crisis Support Case Manager
Adina holds a BSW through Bar Ilan University and an LMSW from Haifa University, specializing in clinical social work. She worked for four years as a social worker at Children’s Town, providing group and individual therapy for troubled adolescents and their parents. Her comprehensive understanding of the Israeli mental health system and her therapy background enable her not only to provide emotional support to families and individuals in times of crisis, but also to help advocate for them to ensure they receive the assistance they need.
Our Amazing Management Team
Avnei Chein Founding Members
Rabbi David Green
CEO
Rabbi David Green is the author of "A Book About You” and “Pictures of Your Soul”. David received smichah (Rabbinic Ordination) at the Mir Yeshiva and has been teaching and counselling in various yeshivas, seminaries, teens at risk and rehab programs and a number of educational programs for over twenty years. He has taught at Sofia and Retorno (an addiction prevention and rehabilitation program).
He is a renowned international teacher, speaker, and performer.
Sol Jakubowicz
Executive Director - (Volunteer)
Sol is co-founder and manager of Sunhouse Marketing, a digital marketing agency. After many years in business consulting, Sol has returned to his roots (on a voluntary level) in social services on behalf of the community. Sol has a BA, with a major in sociology and social
psychology, along with a Certificate in ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), Conflict Resolution, Conflict System Design, and Mediation. Sol is taking his business and social service backgrounds and using both to direct Avnei Chein.
Judy Green
Director of Home and Family Support, Volunteers
For many years, Rebbetzin Judy Green has been involved in Jewish Education and community chesed projects. After settling in Israel, she became a life coach and focused her practice largely on issues of Shalom Bayit. Between her volunteer activities and coaching, she noticed a great lack in the mental health world. Frequently people could not afford appropriate therapy and, at times they just had no clue to whom to turn. Judy felt she must try to fill this gap and therefore joined the forces of Avnei Chein.
Fran Jakubowicz
Director of Marketing, PR, and Fundraising
Fran is the founder and CEO of Sunhouse Marketing, and an advocate in promoting mental health in our community. Fran is now lending her skills to help grow Avnei Chein, so that it can meet the financial demands of the community for this vital service.
Our Board
Shoshana Schaeffer
Project Management Officer, Sunhouse Digital Marketing
Shoshana Schaeffer earned her Masters Degree in Library and Information Science over 25 years ago. She has worked and managed libraries and information data in a variety of settings. Shoshana’s main role at SunHouse Marketing is that of Project Management Officer. She oversees the running of the organization with tasks that include billing, payroll and beyond. Shoshana uses her organizational skills to tackle the numerous tasks and activities in the busy buzzing lifecycle of SunHouse Marketing.
Devorah Rich
Principle Owner at DER Associates LLC
Devorah is an insightful, tactical thinker with deep experience developing, implementing and quantifying the success of strategic initiatives. She has led a wide variety of multi-disciplinary teams tasked with restructuring health care delivery.
Devorah has over 35 years of experience in healthcare, designing and evaluating a wide array of pilot initiatives. Devorah oversaw both quantitative and qualitative research, merging attitudinal research findings with clinical outcomes to identify strategic improvement opportunities.
Prior to moving to Israel, Devorah worked at the United Auto Workers (UAW) Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, helping retirees better manage chronic healthcare conditions.
Devorah served as Vice President of Cost and Quality at the Greater Detroit Area Health Council, Evaluation Director at the Jewish Fund, and Research Investigator and Manager of Customer Satisfaction and Data Management at the University of Michigan Health System.
Devorah received her bachelors in Geology from the University of Pittsburgh, her Masters in Science, Technology and Values from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and her doctorate in Urban Technological and Environmental Planning from the University of Michigan.
Gail Gundle
Avnei Chein Avisory Board Family Therapist
Gail Gundle has been working in the mental health field in Israel for the last 25 years. After making aliyah with her husband from South Africa, she completed an M.A. in Family Therapy through the Family Institute. Thereafter, she worked at Tzofia, a therapeutic school for girls at risk, for 11 years and was approached to start the adolescent unit at the Family Institute. She has been in independent practice and a clinical supervisor for the past 10 years and has done advanced training in DBT, IFS and EMDR.
Gail believes in the potential of all individuals and their families to heal and grow through their challenges. As a parent of a child with special needs, she appreciates the complexity of dealing with chronic ongoing challenges and values the crucial role that community organizations can fulfill in supporting families in crisis.
She feels privileged and honored to join the mental health team of Avnei Chein.
Dr. Nosson Westreich m.ed. m.d. frcpc
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto Youth and Adolescent Psychiatry
Dr. Westreich, a Child and Adolescent psychiatrist is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto Medical School.
He is on staff at Sunnybrook & Women's Health Sciences Centre, where he was the former co-director of the Inpatient Adolescent Regional Unit. He is currently the Head of Neuropsychiatry adolescent and young adult traumatic brain injury clinic and teaches both medical students and residents.
Dr. Westreich is a Medical Consultant with the Sun Life insurance company.
Dr. Westreich has authored professional articles, been interviewed on radio and is a noted speaker for medical, civic and Jewish organizations internationally. He holds a Master's degree in Education from Loyola and Rabbinical Ordination from Ner Israel Rabbinal College of Baltimore.