For too long the myth of “happy families” has prevailed in the Jewish community: “That doesn’t happen in Jewish homes;” “Jews don’t do that.” Battered women in some Orthodox communities have been sent back to their husbands for the sake of shalom bayit, peace in the house.
Fortunately, much has been done in the last 20 years to lift the curtain on abuse in the Jewish community. There are now numerous shelters for battered women in Israel and in America, hotlines, agencies (like Jewish Women’s International) devoted to raising awareness and making change, and other structures for communal support. In addition, women have begun to create a rich liturgy of healing from abuse, often making use of the mikveh in new and creative ways.
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Kavanah for Mikveh | Prayer
By Carol Rose
A meditation for the mikveh invoking God's healing presence
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Prelude to Mikveh | Poem
By Cynthia Wallace
A kavanah for ritual immersion that focuses on the experience of mikveh as an experience of the Divine
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Circle of Support | Complete Ceremony
By Meryl Crean Sternman
Circle of support for someone who will be confronting a past abuser
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Journey from Darkness to Light | Complete Ceremony
By Rabbi J.B. Sacks-Rosen
This healing service, written for a survivor of rape but also usable in other contexts, marks seven stages of healing through the use of seven candles.
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Mikveh Ceremony for Laura | Complete Ceremony
By Laura Levitt and Sue Ann Wasserman
A mikveh ceremony for healing from rape
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Reclaiming Oneself | Complete Ceremony
By Tamara Cohen
A ritual for survivors of abuse modeled loosely on the Jewish wedding, with the union here being between the woman and herself. This ritual is divided into two sections, one to done at home, alone and one to be performed in the presence of friends and family.
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A Ritual of Healing from Sexual Violence | Complete Ceremony
By Rabbi Amy Eilberg
This ritual, which takes place at the mikveh following the woman's menstrual period, is intended as the culmination of a grieving process.
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A Ritual for Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse | Complete Ceremony
By Tzeviya Rivka
A mikveh ritual for healing from childhood sexual abuse
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No Ordinary Bath: The Use of the Mikvah in Healing From Incest | Complete Ceremony
By Yonah Klem
An article on the uses of the mikveh, ritual bath, in healing from sexual abuse.
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Healing Ritual for Abused Jewish Women | Complete Ceremony
By Faith Rogow
A healing ritual for a battered woman marking various stages of the journey
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From Darkness to Light | Prayer
By Talia Campbell
A prayer to find the holy sparks within the dark places of ourselves
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Healing Well | Prayer
By Ariel Lee
A healing prayer to be said when immersing in the mikveh
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Mi Shebeirach | Song
Lyrics by Debbie Friedman and Drorah Setel
A moving song that has become the hallmark the Jewish healing movement
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Communal Misheberach for Healing | Prayer
By James I. Greene
An original prayer in both feminine and masculine forms
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Refu'at ha Nefesh | Poem
Elana Rabinowitz
A poem/prayer to be used as part of a healing ritual for a survivor of sexual violence
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