by Naomi Senser, SHALVA President
Almost four decades ago, a small group of women made history when they recognized that women in the Jewish community of Chicago were suffering in abusive marriages. Despite some community push back, they founded SHALVA as a woman run organization to help these women in need. SHALVA is the first independent Jewish domestic violence counseling center in the US. So many lives have changed since those founding mothers had courage to speak out and do something.
My eyes were first opened to the prevalence of domestic abuse in the Jewish community by attending a SHALVA event. I was under the impression that the Jewish values that honor and respect women in the home made us immune from domestic abuse. At that event, I learned that domestic abuse does not care about honor and respect, only about power and control. The Jewish community bears the same percentage of abusive relationships as every other community in the world. One out of four women have been, will be, or are currently experiencing abuse in their intimate partner relationship.
Shortly after that SHALVA event, I joined the SHALVA Board of Directors, where I am now president. Since I attended that event twelve years ago, I have learned so much about the devastating effect of domestic abuse on a woman’s soul, her sense of personal strength, and independence. Yet, at the same time, I have seen that strength re-emerge when women take the courageous step to come to SHALVA. Here our excellent therapists support and guide women, empowering them to revive their souls, regain their independence, self-confidence, and dignity, and change their lives and that of their children for the good.
March is National Women’s History Month. I want to honor the history of the SHALVA Founding Mothers and thank them. We must follow their example, speak up when we see abuse of our sisters, believe them, support them, and guide them to SHALVA.
Naomi serves as SHALVA’s board president. Naomi retired from a busy pediatric practice many years ago to raise her children and to devote herself to women’s issues, Jewish, and pro-Israel causes. Naomi completed the Master of Jewish Professional Studies program at Spertus College and the executive education program offered through the Northwestern University Nonprofit Board Member Institute. She earned a BS in Zoology from the University of Michigan and an MD from Northwestern University Medical School.
