Training Jewish communities to recognize, respond to, and refer individuals experiencing domestic violence. 

We equip clergy, educators, community leaders, and staff at Jewish organizations with the training and tools to support survivors, so no one in our community has to face abuse alone.

In JWI's 2021 National Needs Assessment, more than 90% of Jewish survivors reported multiple forms of abuse, and many met silence or stigma when they reached out for help.

Jewish survivors often turn first to people they trust: a rabbi, a teacher, a JCC or family service professional. Too often, those trusted people haven't been given the tools to respond.

Rising antisemitism has created additional barriers for Jewish survivors seeking help outside their communities, particularly when service providers lack an understanding of Jewish culture and practices.

JWI created Here for You to address these gaps. The program equips Jewish organizations, clergy, educators, and community leaders with the tools and training to recognize abuse, support survivors, and connect them with resources.

By strengthening existing services, identifying gaps, and building partnerships, Here for You helps communities become safer and more supportive places for survivors and their children.

How it Works

A Community-Wide Approach

 
 

Here for You brings the Jewish organizations in a community together to learn, plan, and work in coordination. They train alongside one another, coordinate with local domestic violence providers, and stay connected to JWI over time. 

The program focuses on three areas: 

  1. Education and Awareness 

    Skills to recognize abuse, respond to disclosures, and refer, plus templates, referral materials, and action plans.

  2. Outreach and Collaboration  

    Jewish organizations coordinate with each other and with local DV agencies, building cultural understanding both ways.

  3. Prevention 

    Healthy-relationship education in youth programs, camps, and schools, plus resilience programming for children.

The Result: a community where survivors know where to turn, and the people they turn to know how to respond.

The Network

Here for You Communities Across the Country

 

12 Here for You Communities and over 2,000 Jewish community professionals trained across the country. Want to see yours on the map? Contact Alana Blum. 

 

Get Started

Bring Here For You to Your Community

To bring Here for You to your community or learn more about the program and trainings, contact Alana Blum, JWI’s Vice President of Community Response:

Start the Conversation

Resources

Coming Soon: The Here for You Training + Resource Center

JWI is developing a digital hub of Here for You trainings, tools, and resources that will give Jewish organizations access to the program’s core content on their own time. To be notified when the Training + Resource Center launches — or to help beta test it — contact Alana Blum. 

This project receives generous support from the Senser Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and the SRE Network.

  • Please complete this brief form to access the Here for You trainings and resources page.

  • Since 2023, JWI has delivered or developed 250+ programs, trainings, consultations, presentations, and resources for more than 2,000 professionals and community members. Through this work, more than 50 organizations across the country have become Here For You sites, receiving training, resources, and professional support to help foster safety and resilience for survivors and children exposed to domestic violence in their homes. Today, 12 Jewish communities are saying they are “Here for You” to survivors.

    Our Here For You Communities are groups of local Jewish organizations collaborating to address domestic violence. These groups meet in person and continue working together to shape a supportive environment for survivors and their children in their local community. Learn more here.

    Our Here For You trainings empower organizations and communities to put the safety and well-being of survivors and their children at the forefront of their work. Contact Alana Blum to bring Here For You to your community.

  • Domestic Violence 101
    Gain essential knowledge on domestic abuse and practical ways to support survivors and their children.

    DV 101 for Early Childhood Educators 
    Learn about the dynamics of domestic abuse and practical ways to support your students.

    Addressing Security & Legal Concerns
    Learn how to create safe environments and navigate legal protections for survivors.

    Here For You: Community Leader Conversation on Addressing Domestic Violence
    Engage in a guided discussion with other leaders on domestic abuse and develop concrete next steps to create a welcoming community for survivors and their children.

    Clergy Workshop
    Gain tools and knowledge to support domestic abuse survivors and foster a culture where survivors feel safe coming forward

    Supporting Students: A Workshop for School Guidance Counselors
    Learn signs of trauma, how to respond effectively, and connect students to the right resources.

    Building Resiliency: Working with Children Impacted by Trauma
    Learn how trauma from domestic abuse affects children and gain strategies to support them in classrooms and youth programs.

    Healthy Relationships for Teens
    Provide teens with the knowledge to recognize healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics and dating abuse prevention.

    Tools for Talking to Teens
    Learn how to have meaningful discussions with teens about healthy relationships.

    Camp Director Training
    Learn how to foster a safe, supportive camp environment for campers exposed to domestic abuse.

    Click here to view the full list of training opportunities.

    Interested in bringing a workshop to your community?
    Contact Alana Blum at [email protected]

What Participants are Saying

“Since participating in Here for You, three employees have sought support related to clients experiencing domestic abuse. Because of the program, I had the language and tools to respond effectively.”
— JFS Executive Director
“Thank you so much. This was transformative for me. I was afraid it would be more of the same inadequate trainings that I’ve seen for years. That this was of such sensitivity, richness, urgency, and capability... truly feels redemptive and promising. Thank you.”
— Clergy participant