Traditionally the responsibility for maintaining shalom bayit, peace in the home, is placed upon the wife. When that peace is shattered, the Jewish community tends to blame the wife for her failure to maintain the image of a perfect Jewish family.
As a result, Jewish women stay in abusive relationships longer than other women. Many never tell anyone about the abuse out of fear, shame and humiliation.
Family Shalom works to stop the violence and the abuse that occurs within relationships by offering information and referral through its info line to those who want help dealing with their situations. The professionally trained volunteers provide information on a wide number of services including intervention, counseling, and support.
While 96 percent of reported domestic abuse is perpetrated against women and girls, abuse against men, boys and the elderly, also occurs. Family Shalom plans on offering referral service for these groups in the future.
Family Shalom seeks to educate the Jewish community about domestic abuse through its speakers' bureau, teen healthy relationship training, the distribution of literature and annual community awareness campaigns.
History:
Family Shalom is a project of National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), Sacramento Section. It was initially funded through a grant by the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, NCJW, and individual contributions. Family Shalom is part of NCJW's Strategies to Prevent Domestic Violence.
Today, professionally trained volunteers run the Family Shalom information and support line offering support to anyone who requests it. The information line is safe and confidential. Referrals to counseling, rehabilitation centers, legal guidance, emergency and comprehensive services are available. Speakers are available to talk with groups, organizations and Havurot The brochures can be found throughout the Jewish community at synagogues, Shalom School, and the Jewish Federation. The community clergy made a commitment to discuss the issue from their pulpits and do so regularly.
The Sacramento response began in May, 1999, at a panel discussion jointly sponsored by Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Community Relations Council, an arm of the Jewish Federation, Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women and WEAVE. Several months later a committee of NCJW was convened. Its goal was to develop plans for an ongoing presence that would respond to domestic abuse in the Jewish community. The first step in the newly designed plan was to do a needs assessment. The area rabbis, other Jewish communal professionals and the staff of Jewish Family Service were interviewed. There was unanimous agreement of the need.
The next steps followed quickly. The new committee developed a brochure that has been printed and distributed to all the area congregations, several public libraries, neighborhood bookstores and physicians offices. The decision was made to have a resource and referral support line now referred to as the info line. Volunteers were recruited and trained by the professional staff at WEAVE on how to work with potential callers. Through the diligence of one committee member, the info line cell phone and the cost of its operation for the first two years was donated by Verizon wireless. The speakers' bureau, inaugurated in the late spring of 2002, continues. The teen healthy relationship training is delivered to 7th and 8th graders by high school juniors and seniors. Other members of our speakers’ bureau talk with college students through programs offered at Hillel on both the UC Davis campus and the CSUS campus. You can learn more at www.familyshalom.org
Contact Us:If you are interested in having someone speak to your group, you want additional information
or you are looking for some support, please call the info line, (916) 204-8777
or email us info@familyshalom.org.