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The purpose of maintaining the body in good health
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-Maimonides
the Jewish Community Center during the
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op by the Membership Services desk
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it. Maybe it will be her mother or sis-
ter or friend. We just want the infor-
mation to get to her somehow,"
Granader said.
The two separate, but complimen-
tary efforts are the latest in a string of
initiatives in the Jewish community.
These efforts are part of a general
community effort to end domestic
violence. Shelters for the victims,
advocacy programs through the
courts, data collecting efforts in the
police stations and advertising cam-
paigns have existed for decades to put
an end to spousal and child abuse,
whether it is verbal, emotional or
physical.
A Jewish response is important,
Yashinsky said. As in the general com-
munity, 19 or every 100 women in
the Jewish community are abused
physically, emotionally or verbally.
But not all recognize it or would be
comfortable seeking communal ser-
vices outside of the Jewish communi-
ty, said Granader.
"There are controlling people in
every religion. We have caught up
with divorce and drugs and domestic
violence, with all of those things that
Jewish people never did," Granader
said. "Not everyone is comfortable
with the services that are out there for
everyone else."
Opening Windows
The Jewish community has long pro-
vided for victims of domestic vio-
lence. Counseling was offered through
JFS and other services were available.
But a more coordinated response was
sought in the late 1980s that resulted
in the formation of the Windows pro-
gram.
With Windows, women who access
the services of JFS can receive coun-
seling to help them understand their
living situations and how abuse is
affecting themselves and their chil-
dren. In some situations, the coun-
selors assist the women in leaving the
situation. Thus far this year, 80
women have used the services,
Yashinsky said.
Working in conjunction with the
Windows program, NCJW provides
Safe Place. The location of the
dwelling, outfitted with furniture
donated by NCJW members who also
stock the pantry of the kosher
kitchen, is known only to a few in the
organization, said Florence
Herrmann, vice president of public
affairs/education.
"That is the point. We want the
women to feel safe here," she said.
"No one should know where it is."
Herrmann said NCJW is commit-
ted to providing the shelter, in part
because the national organization has
a directive that places the safety of
women at the top of its priorities. The
shelter has been available for seven
years and has been used by women —
and one man — seeking to remove
themselves from abusive situations.
"In an ideal world, we would not
have to have these places," Herrmann
said. "We are happy that it is used and
that we can provide a safe haven for
them. But in a perfect world we
wouldn't want this situation."
That does not mean that the two
programs are working in conjunction
to break up the families where domes-
tic violence exists, said Yashinsky. She
offers as an example the Orthodox
woman with many children, closely
spaced in age, who sought the services
of JFS.
The woman wanted JFS to help her
become a "better wife." Her husband
had physically abused her and her
children, and she thought the problem
was with her, not her husband. The
woman came to gain a measure of
self-respect but did not leave the
home.
"The fact that she knew that the
dwelling was there for her gave her the
courage to be able to try to be less
submissive and to stand up for herself
and her children," Yashinsky said.
A Safe Place
At the same time, the domicile has
allowed women to reassess their rela-
tionship before returning to the mari-
tal home or leaving, Yashinsky said. In
one case, a well-educated Reform
woman, the wife of a high-powered
executive and mother of their three
children, left her abusive husband to
stay in Safe Place. After intensive
counseling, she and her children
returned home.
In another case, a Conservative
woman, the wife of a doctor and
mother of two, brought her children
with her to Safe Place. They stayed for
almost three months. She then found
an apartment and divorced her hus-
band.
While providing the services has
become essential to the Jewish com-
munity, Herrmann, Granader and
Yashinsky said the goal in the immedi-
ate future is providing more education
and prevention initiatives.
"As long as there is domestic vio-
lence, we will have a response,
Yashinsky said.
❑