Shine the Light: Sexual Abuse and Healing in the Jewish Community

This is an extraordinary journey into the stories, minds, and hearts of adult Jewish survivors of sexual abuse and incest. Rachel Lev, a therapist and incest survivor herself, blends her own experiences with those of other survivors, and reflects upon their personal relationships to the Jewish community, which can either encourage denial or be a place of healing. Shine the Light emphasizes healing, which Lev believes can come about through self-expression, creativity, and, above all, feeling connected, not isolated. The book offers the rare opportunity for the survivors to speak for themselves, through firsthand accounts, poetry, and artwork, beautifully reproduced in color.

The twenty-two contributing authors and artists identify themselves along the spectrum from "just Jewish" to Orthodox and represent a wide range of professions and ethnic backgrounds. In these accounts we meet, for example, Elizabeth, who overcame a disabling fear of people brought on by years of sexual abuse; Hadass G., who found drawing to be part of her healing process; Hillary, who, as a result of chronic stress-related illnesses, was forced to face her history of abuse; and Jerome, a survivor of maternal sexual abuse who struggles with issues of trust.

Sexual abuse occurs in all cultures, but Lev explains the particular difficulties for the Jewish community in acknowledging the problem, given its long history of victimization and its need for positive self-images. The author, however, reveals Judaism to be rich in resources for healing as she explores Jewish law, tradition, and rituals that include the thoughts of rabbis, community leaders and survivors. The book concludes with appendices of information for survivors seeking help and for family, friends, professionals, and religious communities who wish to reach out to them.

Taking an innovative and sensitive approach to what has long been an unspeakable ordeal to so many, Shine the Light builds a sense of community. It tells survivors that they are not alone and helps everyone from family to therapists to religious leaders understand their role in the healing process and, ultimately, in preventing these violations from happening.