Schools for Young Shluchim Tackle Abuse

Educators from both Cheder at the Ohel and the Shluchim Online School participated in an important and innovative program regarding child abuse in the frum community. The program took place in Crown Heights and also – for the online school teachers – on the Internet.

Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein, Executive Vice President of Project Innocent Heart, gave a dynamic and highly informative presentation. The focus is on training teachers to have an awareness of abuse with the purpose of keeping an open eye in the classroom.  Teachers are with their students during the majority of the children’s waking hours. If educators are trained to notice when something doesn’t seem right, our communities will be safer. Teachers were also told who to go to if they think a child might be being abused or if they aren’t sure.

Rabbi Milstein spoke of people being generally aware of children when going about our daily living. When we are walking in the street or shopping we must notice the child who seems lost. We must notice if something we see doesn’t seem right. We must take the time to stop and ask. It is up to each of us to prevent the souls of our children from being destroyed. Rabbi Milstein made it very clear that this issue is a matter of life and death. Awareness combined with action when necessary will literally help to preserve our children souls and their lives, both physically and spiritually.

Cheder at the Ohel and Shluchim Online School educators felt the program definitely expanded their knowledge as educators and their abilities to teach and reach their students.