If a doctor sees a Jewish woman with bruises that raise suspicion of domestic abuse, what should the doctor do? Jewish Women International (JWI) and CHAI-The Jewish Coalition on Family Violence are both working to answer that question, internationally and locally.
Though for some domestic violence never recedes to the back of their minds, October — proclaimed by every Congress since 1989 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month — brings the issue to the public eye.
JWI, whose national president is Milwaukeean Millie Sernovitz, is tackling the issue in several ways. It has recently published two guides for Jewish community professionals to deal with domestic abuse within the community.
An updated version of “Embracing Justice: A Resource Guide for Rabbis on Domestic Abuse,” now in its fourth printing, was released in June, accompanied by a day-long training session in the Chicago area.
The second guide, “Healing & Wholeness: A Resource Guide on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community,” is a resource for community workers — volunteers, synagogue board members, sisterhood and brotherhood members, and more — to help them broach the topic of domestic abuse from a uniquely Jewish perspective.
Statistics indicate that domestic violence occurs in the Jewish community at the same rate as in the general population, Sernovitz explained in a telephone interview from the JWI offices in Washington, D.C. “But Jewish women tend to stay in abusive relationships longer than non-Jewish women,” she said.
“[Domestic abuse] has a Jewish face because it’s hidden,” Sernovitz explained, partly because of the notion of shalom bayit (peace in the home). “Jewish women are very often not physically abused but are psychologically, verbally and financially abused,” she said.
Local awareness
In Milwaukee, CHAI’s acronym explains its work: counseling, Helpline, advocacy and information. Go into the women’s restrooms of most local synagogues and other Jewish organizations and you’ll find its literature.
Founded in 1997, CHAI offers a 24-hour Helpline, a place for women in trouble to turn. Originally staffed by volunteers, the two-year-old Helpline is now answered by Advocates of Ozaukee, whose staff has completed seminars and sensitivity training regarding specifically Jewish issues.
The relationship with Advocates of Ozaukee, forged earlier this year, greatly expands the services offered by CHAI. In addition to the Helpline, it can now refer Jewish women to Advocates of Ozaukee’s 24-hour facility.
CHAI distributes materials to key locations (remember the pamphlets in restrooms?) and also does more hands-on work, like getting together with different groups and presenting the issues, according to Claire Fabric, project coordinator.
“We’re thinking of forming a speaker’s bureau and holding annual community seminars. We want to present issues at all community events,” she said. CHAI’s goal, in tandem with helping women specifically, is to raise community awareness, explained Fabric, who was one of the original Helpline volunteers.
Now a program of Jewish Family Services, CHAI runs under the direction of a committee comprising several key JFS staff and members of the original CHAI board. CHAI also has a seat on the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and participates in some of its subcommittees.
Though success is difficult to gauge, Fabric is certain that CHAI has greatly benefited the Milwaukee Jewish community. “[CHAI’s work] has done a lot of good because I know that there have been a lot of calls and a lot of referrals…. I think a lot of good has come out of it,” she said.
Through the years and the changes, one thing remains constant — CHAI’s mission to help. “We want the word to be out there and reach everybody so that nobody will hesitate to call if they need help,” said Fabric. “That’s what CHAI is all about.”
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