THE BERMAN

CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

CLASSIC
KORESH:
25TH
ANNIVERSARY

Wednesday,
November 16

7:30 p.m.

TICKETS START AT $33

DJ Spooky
Paul Dennnis Miller

Enjoy a selection
of favorites from
Israel’s Roni
Koresh’s Dance
Company’s
25-year history,
includ ing the newly
commissioned
“23: Deconstructing
Mozart,” a
collaborative
initiative driven
by Koresh and
multimedia
artist Paul Miller,
aka DJ Spooky.
As the dancers
move through
this stunning
allegro, stunning
athleticism and
compelling
choreography
appear front and
center in timeless
works.

248.661.1900 | theberman.org/koresh

Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit
D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building
Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
:0DSOH5RDG:HVW%ORRPƬHOG0,

The Berman App Available

family focus »

Purple Ribbons

O

ctober is Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, and for
b-
me, that means purple rib-

bons.
JCADA, the Jewish Coalition against
Domestic Abuse, has been sponsoring a
purple ribbon campaign in October for
form of physical violence by an intimate
the past five years. Each year, we try to
in their lifetime;
lifetim more than
partner within
put them in more places so that anyone
e
annual
10
million
people
annually
are abused.
who wants one can get one to show their
o
Our
Jewish
community
is not
support.
immune
to
this.
It
does
happen
This year, thanks to the 100
here, in the same proportions.
Mensches, our purple ribbons
There are many types of
have been distributed to many
abuse:
physical abuse, which
of our local congregations for
includes
pushing, shoving, trap-
the month of October. I know
ping
another
person, slapping,
that many of you will be in
punching
or
strangulation.
your congregations during
Emotional abuse, which can be
this holy month, so look for a
Ellen
extremely destructive through
purple ribbon and wear it to
Yashinsky
the systematic demolition of
show support for the many
Chute
someone’s self-esteem through
victims in our community
relentless criticism or degrada-
who feel isolated and alone
tion. Financial abuse prevents
in the shame of their abusive
someone
from having access to the fam-
relationships.
ily’
s
assets,
or it could be giving someone
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
an
allowance
for which they must be
is often overshadowed by the October
fully
accountable,
with no discretionary
campaign for breast cancer awareness.
spending.
Sexual
abuse
or exploitation is
Like many other social action move-
forcing
another
to
engage
in sexual acts
ments, breast cancer awareness has gone
against
their
will.
All
of
these
behaviors
from a silent, personal struggle to a pub-
are
acts
of
control
and
create
a
power
licly acknowledged movement.
dynamic
where
one
person
is
in
control
When my mother was diagnosed with
and
the
other
person
is
afraid.
breast cancer more than 20 years ago,
We can create a safer, more peaceful
it was a secret. We didn’t speak about
community.
We need a movement, just
it outside of the family. However, with
like
the
one
created
for victims of breast
increasing rates of occurrence, advocates
cancer.
We
need
purple
ribbons on NFL
and medical professionals knew that the
uniforms.
We
need
purple
pizza boxes
silence was deadly. As a result, the public
and
purple
yogurt
container
tops and
learned that early detection saved lives,
purple
5K
races
and
corporate
sponsors
and a prevention movement began that
of
purple.
We
need
to
help
every
person
brought it out of the shadows so that
feel
safe
in
their
relationships,
and
to
every woman would feel empowered to
know
that
they
are
supported
by
our
protect her breast health.
community. This will take ALL of us.
The campaign was effective in several
Please join our movement! Learn
ways: Rates of death due to breast cancer
more
about JCADA and the 100
have decreased, many segments of our
Mensches.
Wear a purple ribbon in
society have joined the fundraising and
October.
You
can find one at any Jewish
awareness bandwagon and, most impor-
communal
agency
or area synagogue or
tantly, as a mental health professional,
temple.
people with breast cancer are less likely
If you are a man, become one of the
to feel isolated or stigmatized by the
100
Mensches. This group of men has
diagnosis.
made
a personal and financial com-
I dream about this type of support for
mitment
to be a part of the solution for
those suffering in violent and abusive
domestic
violence and abuse. We need
relationships.
your
thoughts
and your voices if we are
The statistics reveal the importance
to
succeed.
of this. According to Susan G. Komen,
For more information on the 100
in 2013, 307,660 people in the United
Mensches,
visit 100mensches.org or
States were diagnosed with breast can-
contact
Ellen
Yashinsky Chute at (248)
cer. According to the National Coalition
592-2666.
against Domestic Violence, nearly 20
people per minute are physically abused
Ellen Yashinsky Chute, LMSW, is director of
by an intimate partner in the United
JCADA and senior director of behavioral health
States. One in three women and one in
services at Jewish Family Services.
four men have been victims of some

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26 October 20 • 2016