On My Mind
Executive editor — issues and opinionsListen, Believe, Respond
“Listen, Believe, Respond.”
These are the three words anchoring the upcoming Jewish Healing Service for “those among us who have experienced the trauma of abuse as children, adolescents or adults.”
The service will take place 7:30 p.m., Sunday, September 13, at the Weinberg Park Heights Jewish Community center.
The event is a community gathering for “all who want to move our community from silence to attention.” It is for survivors of domestic, sexual, physical, verbal and all forms of abuse. It is for families and friends, mental health and physical health professionals, clergy and educators.
There is no denominational label placed on any of this. All streams of Jewish identity and observance are welcome and will be comfortable.
At this service, it is the hope and prayer that survivors will have feelings of safety, validation and a motivation to move from a person who survives to a person who can thrive.
The work that is going on behind the scenes from people who really care is remarkable. The Shofar Coalition, Chana, the Associated, the Baltimore Board of Rabbis and Jewish Community Services are listening to the voices of many incredible survivors.
It’s a event that will be important for so many of us.
And it can’t be emphasized enough that this is event is for all Jews no matter where they worship or don’t worship. The focus will be on the survivor and how they will hopefully connect to the Jewish community especially in these days before the High Holidays.
“Listen, Believe, Respond.”
