Abuse Prevention

Jewish Community Abuse Resources, Education and Solutions

JCFS Chicago offers education and resources to increase awareness, expand understanding and ensure a culturally sensitive, coordinated response to abuse in Jewish homes and families. 

Partnership for Safer Communities promotes interpersonal safety, health and well-being in Jewish day schools, synagogues, camps and other institutions through education, policy review and community building efforts. 

• Safer Synagogues offers congregational teams – made up of clergy, professional and lay leadership – education and dialogue focused on issues that adversely impact women, men, children and families – intimate partner violence, child abuse, teen dating violence, addiction and elder abuse. 
• Safer Schools is a comprehensive child sexual abuse prevention program comprised of four components:  
  • Administrators are supported as they review, develop and implement policies and protocols that promote and provide for the safety of their students.
  • Staff and teachers are engaged in educational training about understanding boundaries and abuse, handling accusations or disclosures of abuse, and corresponding legal responsibilities.
  • Parents are offered an opportunity to learn about child safety and how to be proactive in safeguarding their children.
  • Students are educated about personal safety and how to keep themselves safe.
• Safer Camps supports Jewish day and overnight camp administration and counselors by heightening their understanding of boundaries, abuse, and mandated reporting. Training sessions include discussions about establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries, the signs and symptoms of child abuse and molestation, responding to disclosures or suspicions of unhealthy behaviors, and mandated reporting responsibilities.   
• Youth Group leaders and others are engaged in discussions about health boundaries, mandated reporting, responding to abuse disclosures, and other topics.

Professional Network 

The JCFS Chicago Professional Network offers opportunities for abuse and addiction professionals, advocates and allies to engage in discussion, explore best practices, build collaboration and examine strategies that inspire optimal services and supports to the Jewish community and beyond.

Network participants include the following organizations:

A Safe Place

The ARK

Between Friends

Center for Contextual Change

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center

Chicago Police Department

Children's Advocacy Center of North & Northwest Cook County 

Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence Division

CJE SeniorLife

Cook County State's Attorney Office

EZRA Multi-Service Center

HIAS Immigration & Citizenship, a program of JCFS Chicago

Illinois Accountability Initiative

Jewish Coalition Against Sex Trafficking

Jewish Community Centers of Chicago

Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago

National Council of Jewish Women

Niles Family Services

Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault

Resilience (Rape Victim Advocates)

Response for Teens, a program of JCFS Chicago

SHALVA

UIC School of Public Health

YWCA Evanston/North Shore

Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center

Support & Funding

The Leo S. Guthman Fund and other generous donors

For more information:  
Samantha Spolter, Safer Communities Coordinator, 847.745.5430 

JCARES is supported by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Leo S. Guthman Fund and other generous donors.