Since 1995: Baltimore's Jewish Response to Domestic Violence
The CHANA helpline has received 2000 calls. The prevailing emotion of the callers is uncertainty. Often the first call is from a friend or family member who wants to know what would happen if their loved one called the helpline. All callers are given support to make their own decisions about what to do, or not do. Sometimes callers tell us they have been thinking about what the helpline volunteer said for a few years and now they have another question...

1997 CHANA sponsors Rabbi Abraham Twerski, a pioneer in domestic abuse issues in the Jewish community, speaking with a Baltimore audience.

A Women’s Celebration of Sukkot emphasizes the meaning of true shalom bayit.

The Kosher safehouse has sheltered Jewish families as small as 1 and as large as 12 members. Some have stayed for a night, others for months. Some return to their homes; many resettle in new, safe homes in Baltimore or when necessary, covert locations in other states and countries. One resident’s abuser told her that it was a shame that Hitler did not kill all the Jews because that way he would never have had the misfortune to marry her.

1998 “The Invisible Pain of Emotional Abuse” is sponsored as a public education forum.

1998 A second Sukkot Celebration is held for over 200 community members concerned about domestic abuse.

Counseling has been provided for hundreds of women by skilled clinicians through CHANA's partnerships with Jewish Family Services and The House of Ruth. Women who have been hit, stalked, bitten, raped and left on dark country roads at night have been in our offices. Yet some of the most difficult cases have been the women traumatized by the pattern of threats about what WOULD happen if she EVER...

1999 Shabbat CHANA is an evening in October when congregants in over 20 synagogues in Baltimore hear a sermon from the bima about domestic violence in Jewish homes.

A luncheon for Rebbitzens is held to discuss their critical role in the community’s response to domestic violence.

2000 “Words Can Kill: The Effects of Verbal Abuse on the Soul” is sponsored by CHANA. Women of Vision event marks CHANA’s 5th Anniversary with 160 attendees at the Visionary Arts Museum.

CHANA and JFS provide training in domestic abuse issues to Baltimore Rabbis with a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Legal representation has been provided for almost 100 women in protective order, custody and divorce proceedings by several pro bono attorneys and grant funded slots at the House of Ruth Legal Clinic. In one case the abuser, a physician, quit his job in order to avoid child support. In another, spyware was installed on the victim's computer and accessed from a remote location so that letters to lawyers and judges were read by the abuser before they were delivered to the recipient. In another, calls between the victim and the CHANA staff were covertly recorded and details given to the abuser’s attorney.

2001 A Volunteer Gathering was held to honor and celebrate the Volunteers who assist CHANA on a daily basis.

A new bill was introduced in the House and Senate to give victims of domestic violence protection in the workplace.

2002 CHANA ran several Helpline Trainings which prepared volunteers to answer the Helpline on a weekly basis.

A Newsletter went out monthly to report the different CHANA events and happenings in the community.

CHANA participated in the planning and implementing of A Women’s Department Seder at The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.

2003 Baltimore is host to Jewish Women International’s first International Conference on domestic Abuse in the Jewish community. CHANA staff and volunteers play a major role in the planning and support for the conference.

2004 A Rabbi is hired by CHANA to further develop, market and present the Youth Curriculum, which would be later be used with hundreds of students in religious schools, day schools, summer camps, youth organizations, and the like.

2005 CHANA staff, clinicians and board members help plan, present and attend JWI’s 2nd International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish community.

2006 Our program staff, advisory board, lay leaders, and volunteers participated in a protest.

We also had our first Domestic Violence Awareness Month program which included self-defense classes, provided free, for women in our local Jewish community.

2007 CHANA hired a Farsi-speaking advocate to assist new clients who had immigrated to the Baltimore community. As our client caseload significantly increased, so did CHANA’s staff with a Legal Advocate and Volunteer Coordinator, and expansion of evening and weekend hours.

CHANA also made our voices heard in Annapolis before the Maryland State Senate and House of Representatives for the “Get Bill” hearings.

JWI looked to CHANA as a supporting partner for the JWI 3rd Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community. The CHANA and House of Ruth staff presented at the most well-attended experiential workshop of the conference: “Mothers and Daughters.”

Held at Clinch Fight and Fitness, we began an annual National Stalking Awareness program consisting of self-defense classes and statistic scavenger hunt.

2008 CHANA celebrated her 13th Anniversary with a Bat-Mitzvah reception at Chizuk Amuno Congregation. We opened the night with our newly released video presentation. Followed by HaZamir, who performed beautifully, as did “Bump in the Road Theater” with an outstanding performance based on past and present CHANA clients’ stories. And ending with a meaningful Candlelighting ceremony. The Pocketbook Project turned out hundreds of pocketbooks for clients, cellphone donations were accepted, and new purple t-shirts were sold.

CHANA “went to camp” at Camp Louise and other Jewish camps in the area to complete an ambiguous questionnaire and program about myths and facts to educate and prevent teen dating violence.

2009 Over 2000 Helpline calls received.

Partnership with The Shofar Coalition, Collaborative Response to Childhood Trauma in the Baltimore Jewish Community.
CHANA will offer a Volunteer Workshop.
You can learn all about CHANA and how to work on our helpline, advocate for victims of domestic violence, help with our Youth Curriculum, donate cellphones, write newsletter articles, deliver kosher groceries to a woman and/or her children in the safehouse, transport a client to/from an appointment and many other opportunities.

For more information about volunteering for CHANA, contact Ellen Fox at efox@associated.org or call 410-234-0030.

TRANSLATION AVAILABLE


INTERNET SAFETY
Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet and or/computer usage might be monitored, please use a safer computer, call your local hotline, and/or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
HOTLINE: 410-234-0023   M + Th, 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.     T + W + F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.