About Shabbat of the Child
About SOTC
A transformative month of programming filled with deep learning, sharing, community singing, and exploring how we can advocate for, protect, celebrate and empower children within the Jewish community and beyond.
Join Romemu and our partner organization The Haruv Institute for a melding of minds, hearts, and souls. You’ll discover how you can make a difference in children’s lives in sacred communities everywhere.
With the first Shabbat of the Child in 2020, Romemu became one of the first organizations to commit to implementing Aleinu’s 10 Best Practices to Create Safer Environments. This year we continue on that journey as a community while elevating issues related to protecting all our children in sacred communities everywhere.
A Message from Rabbi Ingber on Child Maltreatment
Jewish tradition imagines a Divine-human partnership, wherein G-d invites humanity to co-create the world, where all are made in Her image, imbued with dignity and worth. The task is simple but not easy. Knowing that each human being is precious is the first step; seeing G-d’s image in every face is next.
There is no greater example of our moral obligation to protect the vulnerable than how we treat our children. Although Jewish tradition places great emphasis on children, I’ve often felt it didn’t adequately recognize and remedy the dangers children are exposed to in some Jewish institutions and homes. That claim that this doesn’t happen to Jews is false. As a survivor myself, I’ve made promoting child safety a priority.
Shabbat of the child emerged from years of dialogue between Gil Mandelzis, Romemu and Haruv Institute board member; Asher Ben Arieh of Haruv Institute, and myself. Romemu, in partnership with organizations that focus on preventing child abuse in the U.S. Jewish community and in Jewish and Arab Israeli communities – dedicates this second annual Shabbat of the Child to protecting our children.
Blessings,
Rabbi David Ingber
“As someone who knows all too well the tragedy and trauma of child abuse, the time has come to demand more responsibility from one another and from the broader Jewish community to protect our innocent children. The time has come to answer Cain’s question, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ and for each and every one of us to say, ‘yes.'”
On Children
Our Partners
The Haruv Institute is the leading organization in Israel, and among the leaders in the world, for training and engaging in research to help children suffering from abuse and neglect. Since its establishment in 2007, the Institute has been working to train professionals, support workers, researchers, parents and children in the prevention of abuse and neglect, and teaching them to identify, locate and rehabilitate the victims. In addition, the Institute develops innovative professional knowledge and disseminates it in Israel and worldwide. The uniqueness of the Institute lies in its comprehensive multidisciplinary activity for achieving this goal, covering medical, legal, emotional, educational and social aspects.
This program is made possible through the generous funding of Gil Mandelzis and Capitolis.
