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Raphael is an autonomous registered charity which has been providing counselling services to the whole Jewish community, living and working in London and the Home Counties, since 1979. 

The seeds were sown for  Raphael (then called ‘The Raphael Centre’) towards the end of the 1960s. The late Irene Bloomfield was working as a psychotherapist in University College Hospital and was approached by two priests, one Catholic and one Protestant, for help with problems encountered in their pastoral work. With the inclusion of another priest, as well as Wendy Greengross together with some rabbinic students, notably Jonathan Magonet, an on-going seminal group was formed. Simultaneously Irene was involved in two other projects - teaching on the counselling course for rabbinic students at Leo Baeck College and giving supervision at the Dymphna Centre. 

From these ventures emerged the need for a support group for Rabbis who had completed their training. Hugo Gryn, Soni Herman, Dow Marmur, Colin Eimer and Tony Bayfield became members of this Rabbinic support group.  

It then became apparent that the Rabbis needed an organisation to which they could refer their congregants for more intensive help than their pastoral work encompassed. Thus Raphael began in 1979.

The original management committee consisted of Irene Bloomfield, Wendy Greengross, a secretary, an accountant, a solicitor and a Rabbi. Irene Bloomfield dealt personally with all referrals until 1989. 

Raphael continued to grow as the need for its services increased. In 1995 Ruth Barnett was appointed the first Clinical Director. She now leads a dedicated team of counsellors and supervisors.

A Fundraising and Marketing Committee called ‘The Friends of Raphael’ has been increasing awareness and raising funds since 2001, with only a small group of volunteers.  Jack Lynes took over from Dr Nicola Feuchtwang as Chairman of Raphael in April 2003. Subsequently the charity changed its name from ‘The Raphael Centre’ to ‘Raphael Jewish Counselling Service’. In March 2008  Roberta Coffer became Chairman having first been involved as a Counsellor in 1999. 

Raphael has three patrons – Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks since November 2003; Rabbi Tony Bayfield from February 2004; Rabbi Abraham Levy since June 2006 - confirming Raphael’s inclusiveness of service to the community.

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Registered Charity No: 278522      ·      © 2008 Raphael Jewish Counselling Service