Naaleh is a non-profit organization focused on strengthening the emotional and mental well-being of the Cleveland Jewish community.
Leadership
Rabbi Chaim Helman
Executive Director
Rabbi Chaim Helman is a native Clevelander and a well-known friend of the community. In 2004, Chaim joined the Beachwood-University Heights Community Kollel, where he gave classes and volunteered his time to mentor teens in local Jewish day schools. He was hired by the Jewish Family Experience to be the Director of Teen Programming which he developed and led for several years. His weekly “Cholent and Parsha” JFX class is still a favorite for many of his closest adult and teen students who come for his weekly wisdom and wit. Most recently, Rabbi Helman co-directed the Yeshiva High School, motivating students in their Torah learning and preparing them for post-high school yeshivos and future life experiences.
At the end of 2013, community leaders approached Rabbi Helman and described the need for a mental health referral service for the Cleveland Jewish community. Under the guidance of several community activists, Rabbi Helman spearheaded the initiative with determination and drive – and Naaleh was born in 2014. In his capacity as Director of Naaleh, Rabbi Helman has built relationships and gained the confidence of many mental health professionals, Rabbis and community leaders in the Cleveland area. With sincere empathy and utmost confidentiality, Rabbi Chaim Helman guides Jews from diverse backgrounds to a mental health professional that best suits each individual situation.
Daniel Solganik
Director of Behavioral Health Services
Daniel Solganik MSSA, L-ISW-S has spent the last fourteen years working in various roles in the mental health field. In 2007 Daniel began working in residential treatment at Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau. After receiving a MSSA from Case Western Reserve University in 2013 Daniel accepted a position at Beechbrook as a school based clinical therapist. In addition to Daniel’s full-time position, Daniel also acted as the Team Leader for the boy’s group at Atidenu. Daniel played an important role in helping boys learn to understand and appreciate themselves, their families, their religion and their community. In 2015, Daniel joined the private practice, Jay Berk and Associates. In this role Daniel has provided individual and family therapy both in person and over Tele-health. For the past three and a half years Daniel has been employed at Ohio Guidestone as a supervisor in the Outpatient counseling program.
In Daniel's role at Naaleh, he provides supervision to staff, gives guidance on complex cases, assists in program development, provides trainings, and ensures compliance with legal and clinical standards of the industry. Daniel uses his therapeutic connections as well as past experiences when considering our client’s needs, treatment goals and personal preferences. Daniel is enthusiastic about using his skills and experience to assist the members of the Jewish Community through his work at Naaleh.
In Daniel's role at Naaleh, he provides supervision to staff, gives guidance on complex cases, assists in program development, provides trainings, and ensures compliance with legal and clinical standards of the industry. Daniel uses his therapeutic connections as well as past experiences when considering our client’s needs, treatment goals and personal preferences. Daniel is enthusiastic about using his skills and experience to assist the members of the Jewish Community through his work at Naaleh.
Yitzchok Sommer
Clinical Director of Naaleh Counseling Solutions
Yitzchok Sommer LISW, CASAC-T, is a graduate of Long Island University school of Social Work. He is a Licensed Independent Social Worker who specializes in working with behavioral and emotional issues in children, teens, and adults. He is a certified TF-CBT therapist, and has been trained in EMDR therapy. He has advanced training in treating symptoms related to trauma and abuse (PTSD). He has received advanced training in helping children demonstrating a variety of diagnosis, including, ADHD, executive function deficits and anxiety disorders. He has extensive experience in providing mental health services as a general practitioner in a variety of settings, including out-patient clinics, residential treatment, schools, and in private practice. In addition to clinical work, Yitzchok Sommer teaches a Psychology course to senior High School students. In his new role as Clinical Director of Naaleh Counseling Solutions, Yitzchok Sommer, LISW now directs the agency's outpatient clinical services. He is responsible for providing clinical supervision and facilitates staff trainings. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization, Yitzchok collaborates with schools and with board of directors, in order develop new programs in schools and in the community at large.
Dovid Gross
Director of Operations
Dovid is an alumnus of Beth Medrash Govoha and a graduate of the Ner Le Elef Outreach and Development Programs.
Prior to joining Naaleh, Dovid served as a Founding Fellow at the Kollel of Young Israel of Greater Cleveland, Director of Operations for Gesher Cleveland/Agudath Israel of Ohio and most recently as an Executive Recruiter for Jewish non-profits across the US. Dovid’s expertise and keen understanding of operational and event management, HR best practices, government programs, and process automation, enable a synergy between Naaleh’s various divisions and programs. Dovid plays an integral role in the growth and success of Naaleh. Through his genuine desire and passion to help the Cleveland Jewish community, Dovid is uniquely qualified to continue to propel Naaleh’s mission.
Rabbi Nosson Kielski
Boys Teen Mentorship Coordinator
Nosson was born and raised in the Netherlands. After receiving his Rabbinical ordination in Israel, he moved to Ithaca, New York to teach Jewish Law and Philosophy at Cornell University and be the campus Rabbi for Jewish students. He married a native Clevelander and moved to Wickliffe, Ohio where he teaches Math and History in Telshe Yeshiva. Nosson is truly one of a kind. Whether gutting and rebuilding houses or fashioning custom cabinetry, his loving, non-judgmental demeanor and empathic listening ear has made him a magnet for his high school students to turn to with any and all of their problems. He has also been known to engage addicts and other teens with nowhere else to go and provide a warm loving environment for them to be understood. After joining Naaleh’s team to pilot our boys’ mentorship program he has encountered tremendous success. He is helping some boys complete GEDs; he is picking up boys at a moment’s notice, and taking them for healthy enjoyable social outings to help battle their cravings and reduce their risk of drug relapse; and he has been teaching boys life skills such as carpentry, tiling, plumbing and basic construction. Nosson’s approach is founded on the belief that every person has natural gifts and abilities and by exposing these strengths and nurturing them, self-esteem is soon to follow as is a pathway to a brighter future.
Rebbetzin Riki Abrin
Girls Teen Mentorship Coordinator
Naaleh would like to welcome Rebbitzen Riki Abrin, who recently joined our team as the Girls Teen Mentorship Leader. Riki (Liff) was born and raised in Jerusalem, where she lived her entire life before moving to Cleveland in September of 2017. Riki is friendly, compassionate, and easy to talk to, serving as a role model to all those around her. She is the Rebbitzin of the flourishing Bais Avrohom Shul in Beachwood, and we are lucky to have her in Naaleh.
Riki provides guidance and support for High School aged girls, both in and out of school, and welcomes the assistance of volunteers in the role of a teen mentors. Mentors develop supportive friendships with the teens, with the goal of building their confidence and supplying a listening ear and soft shoulder in a non-judgmental environment. The girls can express themselves freely and experience a healthy outlook.
Naaleh believes that early detection of social, academic, and familial issues, coupled with healthy mentorship and positive reinforcement, will certainly alleviate and taper the development of future more serious concerns.
Therapists
Yocheved Davidowitz
Crystal Pickus
Joseph Steiner
Ahuva Grodko
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Yocheved Davidowitz, LPC, INHC got her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Adler University in Vancouver BC. Yocheved is a certified nutrition coach and has advanced trauma training. At Naaleh, Yocheved works with adult women on a variety of issues specializing in anxiety, relationship concerns, as well as emotional eating. She is the author of the book “I’ll Start Tomorrow” and continues to teach and lecture widely. Yocheved is the host of A Deeper Conversation, the Podcast for Jewish Women.
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Crystal Pickus (Selent) MNO, MSSA, LSW, has received her MSSA, equivalent to MSW, from Case Western Reserve University. She specializes in supporting teens and adults with mental well-being, behavioral dynamics, and personal effectiveness. She has over 10 years of experience in social services in a variety of settings including, elder-care facilities, dementia programs, residential treatment for autism, youth groups, transitional-corrections, homeless services, and private practice. Crystal’s treatment philosophy is informed by environmental, humanistic, relational, biological, and trauma theories. She spends her free time reading, painting, working with nonprofits, and parenting.
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Joseph Steiner Ph.D, LISW-S. is a licensed clinical psychologist. He trained at Fielding Graduate and Case Western Reserve Universities. He has been in practice for over 45 years at various community mental health centers, the last 18 at Signature Health before retiring. Joseph has held adjunct professor and clinical instructor positions with Case Western Reserve and Cleveland State Universities, among others. He specializes in mood disorders, depression, grief, anxiety disorders and ADHD. Joseph uses cognitive behavioral, family, relational and other therapies as needed.
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Ahuva LISW-S is an independently licensed social worker and a graduate of Fordham University‘s Graduate School of Social Work. She is also a certified EMDR therapist. With over a decade experience she uses an eclectic mix of modalities, including the use of a strength based approach that allows teens and young adults to develop strategies to cope with life ‘s challenges. Her main areas of focus include self-esteem, anxiety, depression, trauma, social relationships, family relationships, impulsivity, and mood disorders. More than any of her schooling, Ahuva has learned the most from her clients. Their courage, passion, wisdom, and dedication are the foundations of effective therapy.
Rabbi Raffi Glickman
Michele Bernstein
Ahuva Blatter
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Rabbi Raffi Glickman MSW, LSW, comes to Naaleh with a wealth of background experiences that he uses to support clients from diverse backgrounds. He holds a bachelor's degree from Yeshiva University in Psychology. While at Yeshiva, Raffi completed his first Masters's degree in Jewish Education and his Semicha through the Gruss Kollel in Jerusalem. Raffi has been involved as Rebbe and mentor while he has lived in Cleveland, at the Fuchs Mizrachi School. Most recently, Raffi has completed his Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University with a certificate of completion in Trauma-Informed Practice. Raffi is passionate about his work, supporting his clients with evidence-based treatment and therapy that is individualized, to meet the client's needs. He has experience in treating those with addiction, working with both substance abuse and non-substance abuse addictions, as well as ADD/ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, compulsive disorders, and anger management/oppositional defiant disorder. Raffi is currently accepting clients that are in junior high school through adulthood.
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Michelle Bernstein, LISW-S is a graduate of the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She has close to 20 years of professional experience practicing in private and public schools, large hospital systems and hospice care, home care and private practice. Michelle has worked with child and adult clients in both individual and group settings. She has a broad range of clinical experience working with clients in the following areas: depression, anxiety disorders, chronic illness, grief and bereavement, behavior/ discipline and parenting challenges, relationship issues, stress and anger management, ADHD, and developmental disabilities. Michelle utilizes a variety of treatment modalities and techniques to help her clients reach their personal goals.
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Ahuva Blatter, LPC, is a licensed clinical counselor. She graduated from Bellevue University. She works with children of all ages in group and clinical settings. She utilizes play-based CBT, child-centered and other modalities to meet each specific client’s needs. Ahuva enjoys using play and creative art modalities to engage her young clients. Ahuva’s goal with her clients is to help them become the best they can be so they can succeed at home, school, and with their friends.