Domestic Violence in the Orthodox Jewish Home: A Value-Sensitive Approach to Recovery

Abstract

Domestic violence, a once-hidden problem in the Orthodox Jewish community, is now acknowledged to occur in Orthodox Jewish families. Because this problem was not affirmed earlier, effective therapeutic techniques for working with battered Orthodox women have only recently begun to emerge. This article highlights one therapeutic technique—the value-sensitive approach—which uses ethnoculturalreligious factors as part of the therapeutic process and has generated positive results in working with battered Orthodox women.

From Wallflowers to Lonely Trees: Divorced Ultra-Orthodox Women in Israel

“…Ultra-Orthodox women are raised in an environment that regards religious learning as a main cultural value. The behavioral translation of this value puts men in the learning arena, whereas women remain on the periphery, mostly as financial supporters (El-Or, 1995;Grodner & Sweifach, 2004;Lehmann & Siebzehner, 2009). Supporting a man engaged in religious study is valued and well appreciated in the ultra-Orthodox community.…”

“…Cohen & Hill, 2007). Divorce is a legally legitimate phenomenon according to the Jewish religion, but is considered socially undesired and inadequate in the ultra-Orthodox community (Grodner & Sweifach, 2004;Steinmetz & Haj-Yahia, 2006).…”

Risks and Opportunities of Faith and Culture: The Case of Abused Jewish Women

“…However, much of the research is based on small nonrandom samples, domestic violence in Israel, and/or only Orthodox groups (e.g., Dehan and Levi 2009;DeVoe et al 2001;Grodner and Sweifach 2004;Ringel and Bina 2007;Sweifach and Heft-LaPorte 2007). It is unclear to what extent findings from Israel, where Jews are the majority and the cultural context is different, can be applied to Jews in the United States.…”

“…Although couples should work together to achieve this ideal, it is often misinterpreted as a responsibility of wives (Twerski 1996). Jewish women may feel that if they have violence in their home they have religiously failed by undermining Shalom Bayis, and therefore are ashamed to admit they are being abused (Cwik 1995) and will not seek help for fear of being disbelieved (Cwik 1996;Grodner and Sweifach 2004).…”

“…This may include husbands forcing wives to violate religious commandments, being obsessively and needlessly particular about small points of religious law, using religious ceremonies to humiliate and subjugate, and using Jewish law to justify abuse of their wives (Cwik 1995;Grodner and Sweifach 2004;Lebovics 1998;Palant 2005;Sweifach and Heft-LaPorte 2007;Twerski 1996). An aspect of Jewish law commonly perceived as problematic for Jewish women is the get process.…”