Mavoi Satum, Targum Shlishi Legal Aid Fund for Agunot, Jerusalem
Mavoi Satum (“dead end”) is an advocacy organization founded in 1996 that calls for justice, compassion, and change in the struggle of Jewish women whose husbands will not grant a get (Jewish writ of divorce). These women are known as agunot and mesuravot get. Mavoi Satum offers legal services to these women, and has helped hundreds of women obtain their get. Targum Shlishi helps support the organization’s legal branch, making it possible for Mavoi Satum to employ a lawyer.
The organization has recently seen major breakthroughs and reports that awareness of the problem of get refusal is increasing rapidly. Representatives from Mavoi Satum had two pivotal meetings in 2005 – one with the Chief Rabbis of Israel and members of Knesset and the other with Israeli President Moshe Katzav. In these meetings, “The problem of get refusal – and the dire need for a solution – were unanimously acknowledged,” reports Rachel Azaria, executive director of Mavoi Satum.
LILITH magazine, Website Improvements and Spanish Translations, New York
In October 2005 two Spanish translations of articles from past issues ofLILITH were posted on the magazine’s website, launching a new section of the site that is part of the magazine’s outreach to Spanish-speaking women. Consultants have identified articles from previous issues that will be of greatest interest to the Latin audience, and those articles will continue to be translated and posted. Targum Shlishi’s funding has supported this new section of the website as well as other website improvements designed to increase user-friendliness. In addition, Targum Shlishi donated to a fund established in honor of the sixtieth birthday of LILITH’s co-founder and editor, Susan Weidman Schneider.
One Voice: Jewish Women for Israel, New York City
Targum Shlishi continued its support of One Voice, a coalition of twelve national women’s organizations united in support of Israel. The organizations represent a broad spectrum of political and religious views. Among One Voice’s recent activities are spearheading national call-in days to government officials in support of Israel and hosting a program of lectures, films, and discussions in June 2005 to bring together interfaith groups of Jews and Christians in conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian situation. The program was titled “A Two-Part Conversation About the Middle East” and was held in New York City.
The Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal, Book Project, Israel
As divorce rates rise in the Jewish world, the problem of get (Jewish write of divorce) refusal becomes ever more urgent and unfortunately relevant to more people. Rachel Levmore, a doctoral fellow at Bar-Ilan University, is an advocate of prenuptial agreements as a method of preventing get refusal. She is at work on a book intended to help familiarize Israeli rabbis with this concept. “There are very few Israeli rabbis who are even aware of this kind of opportunity to prevent get refusal. Most of them have never heard of the concept,” Ms. Levmore explains. The book, The Prenuptial Agreement for the Prevention of Get-Refusal: A Scientific and Halakhic Analysis, Sourcebook and Guide, will be published by the Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies at Bar Ilan University.
Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!, Support Groups for Teenage Girls, Miami
Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing! is a supportive monthly forum for teenage girls. The national program aims to foster the self-esteem of adolescent girls as they cope with this challenging life passage. In the group, the girls socialize, learn, and engage in hands-on activities under the guidance of a trained adult facilitator. In 2005 Targum Shlishi continued its support of two Rosh Hodesh groups in Miami; the foundation funded the establishment of these groups two years ago.
United Jewish Generations, Adopt-a-Bubby Program, Miami
Dedicated to enhancing quality of life for the elderly, United Jewish Generations (UJG) brings holidays, cultural programs, and entertainment to senior citizens who live apart from their families in assisted and independent living facilities and nursing homes. The organization’s new Adopt-a-Bubby program extends UJG’s mission to nurture the elderly by bringing together senior citizens and high school students to give these two groups the opportunity to experience an intergenerational relationship, awareness of Jewish heritage and culture, and gain satisfaction from enhancing each other’s worlds. Together they share quality time through activities like arts & crafts, cooking, games, and conversation.