Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse

Jewish Family Service has been addressing the issue of domestic abuse in the Jewish community since the late 1980s. Originally named the Skillman Program, the JFS Windows Program provides counseling, case management services, pro bono legal services and shelter to Jewish individuals in abusive relationships. We have also provided community education and advocacy for our clients through the years, but without an organized community prevention and intervention effort.

In 2004, Jewish Women International conducted a needs assessment survey of several hundred Detroit area Jewish communal professionals, funded by The Jewish Women’s Foundation. The survey revealed that many of the professionals and lay leaders in our community, including rabbis and social workers, had a desire for increased knowledge on this topic in order to best serve their constituents.

In 2008, a committed group of Jewish and secular organizations and dedicated advocates in the Metropolitan Detroit Jewish community came together to create a coordinated response to the issue of domestic abuse in Jewish families.

With the participation of over 40 community agencies and organizations listed below, JCADA is working to educate, advocate and raise awareness of this destructive issue in our community.

Projects

Training. With thanks to the Jewish Women’s Foundation for their generous funding of our projects, in 2009-2010 JCADA provided training for over 600 community professionals and lay leaders. Each of these training experiences was tailored to the specific host setting and provided tools for recognizing the abuse dynamic, as well as the appropriate response strategies.

Task Forces. During the 2010-2011 grant cycle, the Jewish Women’s Foundation has graciously funded a community building project in which we are creating several task forces to expand our base. We are reaching out to teens, college students, and people who are concerned about elder abuse to become a part of our coalition.

Advisory Committee. We are creating an Advisory Committee of professionals in the community who interface with victims or perpetrators of abuse in their work, such as physicians, attorneys, and mental health professionals.

Please join in our fight for healthy family relationships!

Member Organizations

How Do I Get Involved?

If you’d like to learn more about JCADA’s projects or join a task force to help in the fight against domestic abuse, or if you have questions, contact 248.592.2335 or email jcada@jfsdetroit.org.