call to say they can't cope, may
be put in touch with a social
worker and are also encouraged
to call their rabbis to discuss an-
other popular misconception —
the use of contraception.
But sensitivity to a religious
woman's needs goes far beyond
Jewish law.
"Being religious helps me un-
derstand the problems of reli-
gious women much better," says
Shoshana Feinman, a hotline
volunteer. "The worlds of Ortho-
dox and non-Orthodox people
can be very different."
"There are different degrees of
being religious," says Alissa Fel-
berman, another volunteer. "We
have to learn to be sensitive to
all the women who call. The fact
that they are calling at all is a
tremendous step."
And they are calling. Since its
inception in January 1993, more
than 300 women, mostly from
Jerusalem's large Orthodox com-
munity, have called to report cas-
es of wife-beating or sexual
abuse, or simply to request the
name of a psychiatrist.
Many women complain that
their husbands study full-time
in a yeshiva and that the small
stipend results in financial prob-
lems and, consequently, tension
in the home. Others claim that
their husbands don't help them
and are unsympathetic to the
day-to-day problems of raising a
large family.
The hotline also maintains
close contact with the local police
force and volunteers will accom-
pany callers to the police station
if necessary.
"One Orthodox woman called
to say that her son just had been
raped," Ms. Gross says. 'The vol-
unteer on duty told her not to
wash him or his clothes and ar-
rived shortly after to accompany
the mother and son to the police
station. Because of the evidence,
the rapist was caught."
One of the main reasons for
the hotline's success is that Ms.
Gross is working from within the
Orthodox community. Ms. Gross
made sure to get the support of
Orthodox rabbis who, to Ms.
Gross' amazement, are now ac-
tually encouraging women in
need to call the hotline. "We have
to face the fact that we do have
crises within our community."
says American-born Rabbi Gold
of Har Nof, who has given vocal
support to the hotline. "It is clear-
ly our halachic and human re-
sponsibility to be there, ready
and available to assist those in
crisis."
Ms. Gross in now developing
workshops and literature on
child sexual abuse, appropriate
to the Orthodox community, and
would eventually like to open a
shelter for Orthodox women in
Jerusalem. Li
Naomi Grossman writes for the
World Zionist Press Service.
At Huron Valley Hospital, this
isn't the only way we listen to you.
In today's world
of medicine, it's
not unlikely for
a patient to be
seen as a series of heart
)40..oflab tests. Or
merely a .:::.
..
however prefer to view our patients
as human beings. Each with a rather large
spectrum of fears, needs and questions. Which, as
a smaller hospital, we can cairn, meet and answer
in a manner that's not only unusually personal, but
unusually caring.
Of course as a part of The Detroit
er, affiliated with Wayne State
*OWng but small.
►
ra0btioners, are
tyfor their excellence.
is evident not only in our emergency
departmen t and our obstetrics unit, but in every
room of our hospital,
24 hours a day, you'll find on display a
enbn. The height of healing, coupled
0. meet with a Huron Valley
sician, all (810) 360-3450.
see. how easy it is to get
t care, right here.
Huron Volley Hospital
1601 E. Counneue Rd.
Cameral Twp_
Wayne State University
DMC Huron Valley
Hospital