Magen Yeladim empowers children, parents, and schools to prevent and address abuse with clarity and confidence

When three devastating cases of abuse shook her community, Debbie Fox, LCSW, was tasked with creating a response. That mission became Magen Yeladim — a program empowering children, parents, and schools to prevent and address abuse with clarity and confidence

IT started with three cases.

As a social worker, I was in charge of a patient clinic and programming for a communal organization called Aleinu. Bullying, women struggling in their roles as homemakers, internet issues — whatever problems came up, we worked to find a communal response to them. The atmosphere at the organization was a beautiful blend of professionalism, warmth, and support, and it was supported by all segments of the community.

Every month, the Los Angeles Halachic Advisory Board (HAB), with rabbanim from across the spectrum of Los Angeles, would meet, and I would present a synopsis of sensitive issues impacting the community. The rabbanim would then formulate protocol and programs for addressing clinical concerns on a communal level.

And then one year, within six months, we dealt with three shocking cases of abuse that rocked the foundations of Jewish Los Angeles. It was at a time when there was little awareness, when the visceral reaction was that horrors like this “don’t exist in our community.” We spoke to the rabbanim, explaining the gravity and repercussions of abuse, as well as the role of government agencies in dealing with perpetrators and victims. The rabbanim handled the entire issue professionally and sensitively, facilitating the reports for law enforcement, and actively collaborated with them. They made a tremendous kiddush Hashem. At the same time, the incidents were a painful eye-opener for many of the rabbanim.

“As a group of rabbanim, we need to commit to taking action toward preventing abuse!” one rav declared.

The only question was, what?