Meet our Speakers

Rabbi Shalom Hammer has lived in Israel for 34 years and has served as a lecturer in the IDF for both the educational branch and the Jewish Identity branch of the army. He is the founder and director of 'Gilas Way' which champions mental health awareness and suicide prevention worldwide and has authored ten books, 'Armed with Spirit' by Gefen publishing being the most recent as well as his “Gila Spreads Joy” series of children’s books on empathy. He is a sought after lecturer in Israel and abroad.

Craig Boss 

Happily married with three wonderful children, Craig appeared to be content, confident, and on top of his life. However, he kept a terrible secret buried for over 40 years. As he reached his early fifties, decades of suppressed pain and trauma boiled over. Craig hopes the lessons learned on his journey from hell to happiness may inspire others to seek help and heal themselves.

Ryan Abramowitz's debut picture book 'Elegy for an Elephant' is inspired by his family's journey to process and repair from the passing of their father to suicide.  18% of profits from each copy sold are donated to Lifeline, Movember and Support after Suicide.  Elegy for an Elephant has won a Northern Lights Literary Award, Nautilus Book Award and was shortlisted in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for outstanding debut writing.