Minister of Religious Services David Azoulai feels that the nation’s civil service rabbonim are being inundated with requests for assistance in matters that social workers are better suited to address and the rabbonim lack the training to properly assist in too many cases.
During a session of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of Women Azoulai presented a position paper recommending the wives of rabbonim should undergo training to qualify them to deal with many issues including attacks against women.
He feels the involvement of the rebitzens would be advantageous as most women who have fallen victim to attack would much prefer dealing with another woman.
Azoulai explains the rabbis appointed to cities and municipalities are finding themselves approached with such issues more and more frequently and many lack the training to properly address the matter at hand. Azoulai suggests training the wives of 600 rabbonim to enable them to address the victims during their hour of need.
It appears in the coming weeks wives of rabbonim who feel qualified for such a task are planning to meet at a kenos to discuss the matter. These women would undergo training that includes classes from social workers, social service professionals, and others who are expert in addressing family violence as well as assault against women and children.
Their training would include familiarizing them with the law and the rights of victims and the rebitzens would always be operating under the eye of social services professionals, who will continue guiding them.
Heading this forum is Rebitzen Tzipi Lau, the wife of Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita along with Mrs. Yaffa Deri, the wife of Shas party leader Aryeh Deri.
Attorney Oded Flus, the legal counsel for the Ministry of Religious Services praises the initiative, which he feels is essential today. Flus feels that training these women properly and have them operate under social services professionals would have welcome results and offer a solution to many victims that will be embraced.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
& why not have them go directly to social workers, therapists, abuse counsellors, etc.
It would be beneficial for both Rabbinical husband & wife to learn more about abuse , its impact & how to alleviate.
“Rebbetzins” have always functioned in this capacity. It is inevitable. There have always been “social workers” long before there were MSWs. The Israeli’s problem is how to do this within the context of a government bureaucracy.
One thinks of the quip that if a government bureaucracy were put in charge of the Sahara desert, there would be a shortage of sand. Perhaps a government bureaucracy is not the ideal way to deal with such domestic problems.
Because, zionflag, this is referring to crisis intervention, not long-term counseling. It is very needed. Look at them as mental health first-responders! These rebbetzins represent a trustworthy confidant with a frum emunah-based attitude which will now be beautifully enhanced by the counseling skills they can learn to provide. And of course this is free — not a trivial point to consider.
The additional benefit is that they will educate their husbands, which is sorely needed.