32 | DECEMBER 29 • 2022 

S

ometimes people assume mental 
health issues only happen to “other” 
people, but this a myth, especially 
when it comes to eating disorders and body 
image issues. These issues have long been 
a huge problem and particularly so for the 
Jewish community. According to empirical 
study, up to 24% of the female Jewish 
community is at risk of developing this 
devastating illness at some point in their 
lives. In response to this disturbing statistic, 
one Oak Park woman, Dr. Marcy Forta, 
EdD, MBA, has created an organization 
called Atzmi. The organization is dedicated 
to supporting the mental health of Jewish 
girls through programs that improve their 
self-compassion, self-esteem and body 
acceptance. 

DISCOVERING THE NEED 
The idea for such a program began 
percolating in Forta’s head more than 20 
years ago, when she saw up close how many 
women struggled with body image issues. 
For 15 years, she owned and ran a Berkley 
clothing boutique, The Room Downstairs, 

together with her sister-in-law, Shoshana 
Forta. As women and girls shopped, Forta 
would listen to their self-recriminations and 
struggles.
“I noticed that many women and girls 
seemed to want to hide their bodies and 
were almost apologetic about how they 
looked,
” Forta said. 
“They’
d buy dresses in 
smaller sizes, determined 
to lose weight to fit into 
them. Girls often didn’t 
know how to relate to 
their bodies, and so many 
mothers were miserable 
that their bodies hadn’t 
returned to their pre-baby 
shapes.
”
By the time the 
business was sold, a seed 
had been planted. Body image issues were 
something Forta related to and understood 
— she, too, had struggled with a painful 
eating disorder as a teen.
“It spoke to me deeply,
” said Forta, who 
had a background in business at the time. 

She was passionate about the issue and 
knew she wanted to do something, but 
what? 
“I felt my contribution would have the 
greatest impact if I could use my business 
background, personal experience and 
research to work in the prevention of 
these issues; helping people before these 
devastating illnesses take hold,
” Forta said.
In 2015, Forta returned to school, 
studied for the next five years and earned 
her doctorate in education leadership in 
behavioral health. Her doctorate focused 
on the unique risk factors of the Jewish 
Orthodox adolescent community that make 
them particularly susceptible to eating 
disorders and body image issues. 

DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM
Forta additionally became certified in the 
existing prevention programs available that 
were scientifically tested and proven to be 
effective. Then she made it her mission to 
tailor such a program for the unique needs 
of the Orthodox community. 
“I developed this whole Torah-based 
curriculum for girls on the topic called 
the ‘My Best Self Project.
’ The focus isn’t 
just on eating disorders. We reduce the 
importance of outward appearance, discuss 
self-compassion, emotional regulation, 
boundaries, priorities and even cultivating 
healthy relationships,
” Forta said. “It can 
especially be so hard for young girls who 
desperately want to fit in. The goal is to help 
them discover their inner talent, capabilities 
and beauty, what truly makes them special. 
I want to help each girl 
appreciate their unique 
selves.
” 
That’s why she called 
the program Atzmi, from 
the Hebrew word etzem 
— meaning, “my essence, 
myself.
” 
The program is three-
pronged. The first part 
consists of bringing the 
topic to girls through a 
series of four sessions, 
in-school workshops for grades 8, 10 and 
12. Forta provides training videos for 
schools, so they can learn and run the 
program on their own. She’s so passionate 
about the topic and is so determined 
to have it reach as many Jewish kids as 

HEALTH

Atzmi works to prevent eating disorders 
in the Jewish community.

Finding Your 
 Best Self

ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER