Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community

Learn ways to address domestic and sexual abuse in your community

Breaking the cycle of domestic violence and abuse poses unique problems for the Jewish community, owing to the internal divisions of politics, religious practice, and culture. However, creating strategies to work together based upon the shared values of Judaism can strip away those differences. Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference brings together an outstanding and diverse selection of notable presentations from the First International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community held in July 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference, entitled “Pursuing Truth, Justice, and Righteousness: A Call to Action,” brought to the forefront the disturbing, many times hidden issue of domestic abuse within the Jewish community. Respected scholars, clergy, social service professionals, and survivors provide insightful presentations that lay an essential foundation for the building of a collaborative global Jewish movement to respond to this sensitive issue.

Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference marks the start of a quiet revolution aimed at ending domestic abuse in various Jewish communities by revealing the many facets of the problem while offering ways to address them. Sexual and domestic abuse issues in the Jewish communities of the US, Israel, South Africa and the UK are illuminated and described, and practical strategies are discussed, keeping in mind the common goals within the varied communities. Jewish religious law is reviewed, along with an analysis of Maimomides’ response to domestic abuse, and a vision is offered to respond to child sexual abuse.

Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference is separated into five categories of presentations: Illuminating the Issue; Healing and Wholeness; Promising Practices; Creating Change; and Breaking the Cycle, each section progressing logically to present a unified discussion of the issues. The book discusses:

• helping religious women escape domestic abuse
  
• the Jewish tradition and the treatment of battered women
  
• the widespread claim that Maimonedes condoned wife-battering
  
• the spiritual movement called neohasidism
  
• the issues of reconciliation between survivors and former perpetrators
  
• the Ayelet Program—a project which provides long-term mentoring to past victims starting a new life
  
• organizing the community to address domestic violence in immigrant populations
  
• the response to domestic violence in the South African Jewish community
  
• services for victims in Israel
  
• child sexual abuse and incest

Domestic Abuse and the Jewish Community: Perspectives from the First International Conference is informative, eye-opening reading for social workers, clergy, direct service providers for survivors of domestic/sexual abuse, directors/staff of Jewish Family Service agencies, Jewish Federations, Jewish women’s organizations, and Jewish foundations.