Yad Sarah to fight domestic abuse in the Negev

BE’ER SHEVA, ISRAEL (Press Release)—Yad Sarah, Israel’s largest volunteer-led organization, has announced the opening of a Family Center in the western Negev to treat victims and offer counseling and anger management groups for perpetrators of domestic violence. It is the second location for the program, which has been widely recognized for its success in addressing the complexities and sensitivities of domestic violence.

“We work very closely with community leadership to address this issue in all of its complexities,” said Dr. Shlomit Lehman, who directs the Center. “There is a huge need for these services, which is why we were asked to open another center to serve people in the south, many of whom also suffer from the trauma and disruptions of the ongoing Gaza conflict.”

The organization’s Family Center in Jerusalem, which operates out of Yad Sarah House, has been successful in empowering women, men and children to deal with domestic abuse and heal from its trauma and pain.

The new location will open thanks to a generous grant from the Rosenbojm Komor Foundation, with additional support provided by municipal governments in Israel.

“After seeing the good work of Yad Sarah’s Jerusalem program, we looked for opportunities to bring those services to other parts of Israel,” said Paul Komor, President of the foundation. “This new center will address the serious problem of domestic violence, building on the successes of the Jerusalem program.”

The Center serves everyone—Jews and Arabs, from the most religious to the most secular—drawing on a professional team uniquely qualified to assist former victims overcome the challenges of recovering from domestic abuse.

The new Center will open with two part-time social workers, who will be based in Be’er Sheva but will also travel to outlying communities throughout the Negev. Treatment options currently include group and individual therapy, but will expand to offer couples therapy, art therapy, conferences and school outreach programs, as at the Jerusalem center.

Yad Sarah opened its first Family Center in 2000, as part of its mission to bring help and hope to the people of Israel. The organization is well-known for its extensive volunteer staffed medical and home care equipment lending centers, but also provides elder care support services, home care, day rehabilitation, health education, travel support for tourists with special needs, in-home geriatric dental care, legal advocacy for elders at risk for abuse , and much more, all at little or no cost.

About Friends of Yad Sarah: Friends of Yad Sarah is the U.S.-based support organization for the largest volunteer-staffed organization in Israel, providing a range of free or low-cost health and home care support services that save the Israeli economy several hundred million dollars each year in hospitalization and medical costs. Founded in 1976, Yad Sarah currently offers more than 20 programs through 100+ branches across the country, with 6,000 volunteers bringing help and hope to more than 400,000 people last year alone.

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