Another site.

Through Sehlat I have foundanotherl survivor site, Save our Children
.

American Roots of Hitler's Eugenics & Genoice Policies

When Adolf Hitler was researching methods to "rid the world" of what he called the "Jewish problem" and the others he killed, he studied a long-standing American policy of eugenics - forced sterilzations experimentation and more. You can read the details in this JTA story by Edwin Black. You can find more information at the site for his book on the topic, War Against the Week.

This deeply troubling information reminds me of our individual and communal responsiblity to look out for everyone in our communities and in our world.

More Survivor Blogs

You may have noticed that I have added some survivor blogs to the column on the right. I found most of these through Mike at Child Abuse Survivor - thanks, Mike. In my philosophy of using my blog as a tool to connect with a supportive group of survivors and educate ourselves and others, I share them with you.

Here they are:
Vacuity & Movie Reviews
The Jon Jon Diaries
Paradise Ali
Subversive Harmony

Wishing you a good day,
Leah

J is in Town - Thrivership and Relationships

J is finally here (the last two times he had plane tickets and plans to fly in he had to cancel). He will be here a week and hopefully we will have a chance to do some things together.

Being in relationship with J has already shown me many things, one of which is that I can be in a relationship and take care of myself, setting and keeping clear boundries while still being available for my feelings. Wow. Healing is awesome and powerful.

If you are struggling with victim/survivor issues in your relationship - please know that you can take care of yourself and there is nothing wrong with doing so! I wish you much luck and happiness in the relationship department. (Actually, I wish that for myself too. :-) )

Leah

More people fighting the good fight

Here are some web pages by Women Against Domestic Violence. Check it out.

Another survivor blog

I just came across another blog by an incest survivor, Happyface. Let's continue to support each other in our healing.

Leah

Interesting Site called "We Believe Here"

Take a look at We Believe Her, a web site & blog about the woman whom Kobe Bryant allegedly raped. What do you think about this?

Catching Up

Hello. It's been a few days since I've blogged. I guess that I've been feeling stressed out by the approaching High Holy Days and all else that the onset of fall brings. I can't believe it is now 1 month to Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and this weekend is labor day - OY!

Speaking of labor day, I expect to have a fun, relaxing and enjoyable weekend as J will be here tomorrow for one whole week! We haven't seen each other since the beginning of August, which isn't too long, but this is the first time he has been to where I live since the end of May (he had to cancel 2 previous trips because of his health). So, I hope that we have a chance to have some fun, see some friends and just spend some time toghether.

In terms of my healing journey (after all it is the focus of this blog), as much as I enjoy the Holy Days (and I really love the liturgy, the ceremonies, the music and more), they always stir up my survivor stuff. It's been a little different each year (since I started my healing around spring of 1999), since I'm different each year, but they are still tough. In coming days I plan to post some information here about what Judaism says about repentance (teshuvah) and forgiveness of our perpetrators (we don't automatically have to forgive them....come back for more later). Its intense stuff mixed with all the good parts of the holidays. I think I'll keep posting as I process.

Well, I'm posting this at the library and my computer time is almost up, so I'll say ttfn (ta ta for now, in case you aren't a tigger fan),
Thanks for letting me share,
Leah

Wartime Action Figures!

Take a look at Mark Fiore's Wartime Action Figures courtesy of Working for Change. Enjoy!

Supportive Conversation

At lunch after shabbat morning services yesterday, a woman asked me if I had done anything interesting this summer. I shared with her, and the rest of the people at the table, about the conference (Pursing Truth, Justice & Righteousness). They asked probing questions and by the end of the conversation were accepting of the fact that intimate partner abuse (also called relationship abuse or domestic violence) does occur in the Jewish community in the same rate as other communities and the sad fact that it takes longer (statistically) for Jews to reach out for help. The conversation felt empowering and validating of the work which we did at the conference while urging me to continue my work for the cause.

Thanks for letting me share,
Your sister thriver,
Leah

Update on WBloggar

Yeah! I got the title menu to work in wBloggar!

Blog Tool

I came across an AWESOME tool today, w.bloggar, a program for writing to blogs while off or on line, with spell check and many many other tools. I'm using it to write this post. Go play and have fun!

[Update - I struck the "awesome" above because the title feature doesn't work in w.blogger. Otherwise, I like it.]

A sister survivor who is [still] having geeky fun blogging tonight,
Leah

Ever wonder about some of our expressions?

My friend Mike has a post on his blog today about some common expressions in our culture that you might find interesting. Go to Red Letter Day.

Enjoy, and if I don't have another chance to post, Shabbat Shalom to you,
Leah

Blog Makes the Dictionary

With thanks to Chuck's Blogumentary, it seems that blogging has caught on to such a degree that recently the Oxford English Dictionary adds blog, bada bing to dictionary.

Post-Conference Links

I just found some links related to the conference I attended:
News articles about the conference (hat tip to the press site for the conference):
Northern California Jewish Bulletin
Baltimore Jewish Times Conference Preview
Baltimore Jewish Times Conference Follow-up
Chicago JUF News
Religion News Service
Jewish Woman Magazine

And here is just one of the web sites of an organization that was part of the conference (more later) - Shalom Bayit - Bay Area Jewish Women Working to End Violence.

A program to educate people about the issues around violence against women

Hi. While surfing I came across this program on Violence against Women, a Jewish perspective from WUJS, an organization for Jewish Students. When I was a grad. student in Jerusalem I did some programs with people from WUJS and their materials seemed good. Let me know if you have any feedback on this program.

A sister survivor,
Leah

Devastation and Sadness

The situation in Israel is so sad. You can find the latest in this Haaretz - Article. I am familiar with the area where the bus was bombed. Of course, the most devestating thing are the lives lost, those injured and those whose lives were forever changed.

Praying for peace and an end to all violence,
Leah

For When Violence and Pain is Overwhelming

Rev. Marie Fortune has some poetry on her website at the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence (where she is the director) to help her deal with the pain and hurt of abuse and violence. I hope the beautiful poems there are helpful to you too.

Your sister in survivor and thrivership,
Leah

A great source of information

Go to Jim Hightower's Weblog for a view on what is really going on in this country.

Update, continued...

I'm back to my blog after a long, but productive day. (I find such satisfaction in a productive day. It may be silly, but being productive helps me feel like I am taking care of myself.) I got up and started working on a project for one job at 7am, got it done and then went to another of my jobs and got quite a bit done there and then went and did something else..... you see the flow of the day. Now, carrying this through the week will be great and very necessary as I have SOOOO much to do. ;-)

Back to the meeting and Rabbi Jeff Salkin. If you are at all a spiritual or religious person or if you think about your "spiritual side", he is a good person to read, especially his book Being God's Partner,
How to Find the Hidden Link Between Spirituality and Your Work. He also has written a number of books explaining and helping to create memories for bar/bat mitzvah which you can find at Jewish Lights Publishing.

What a good day it has been. Today, a very dear friend of mine made a big job change and is now working for himself. I am so proud of "Doctor Dave" that I feel like my buttons are bursting. (And no, its not from too much cheesecake this time!) Check out his new website, especially if you live in the Eastern part of Kansas and need computer help.

What else. Oh, as mundane as the weather is I got to do something quite pleasureable tonight - I opened my windows and turned off the AC! The air condition had been running for weeks without a break and tonight it is finally cool and dry enough to open the windows. What a treat. The kitty spent the first few window-open hours sitting on the sills of various windows throughout our home, so I think he likes it too. Unfortunatley it won't last past morning, but hey - I'll take what I can get.

Well, I need to continue to be productive or go to bed, so I'll sign off for tonight.
Take care and know that I wish you much strength, courage and joy,
Your sister thriver,
Leah

Update

It's been a while since I posted something personal on my page. Yesterday, I returned home from a one-day meeting of the UJC Network, a group of small non-federated communities. I personally have had mixed experiences with UJA (their old name)/UJC in the past, but I needed to go for work and I left the meeting wanting to give UJC a chance. The meeting sparked quite a few ideas for the UJC campaign in my small community as well as a few ideas for the congregation in general. It will be interesting to see where things go from here. Will my comfort with UJC/Federation increase or decrease? What will it mean to me as I become involved with the Regional Board for Network (the UJC staff professional for my region asked me to come onto his board)? Hmmm. I guess I will just have to wait and see. My mind is open.

One of the best parts of yesterday's meeting was hearing Rabbi Jeff Salkin speak. His words were full of humor and inspiration.

I need to go now and get back to work. More later.

This is Really Wrong

While reading one of my daily reads, Men Surviving I came across this story about the goverment withholding Green Cards for Gay Immigrants. This is just wrong.

Happy to Be Able to Blog

Ah. Electricity. What a nice thing that I am not taking for granted at the moment. Lucky for me, I still have power.
Wishing you a cool and lit night.
Leah

Steps Taken Against Abusive Rabbis

One of the institutions within Orthodox Judaism has made a ruling against abusive rabbis. You can find an article in the Jerusalem Report Magazine about it. If you get the print version of the Jerusalem Report, take a look at the sidebar next to the article for a short piece on the conference I attended a few weeks ago.
Wishing you a day of strength, courage and hope,
Leah

Censorship in Our Time

If you are at all interested in politics, censorship, or the power of a family to squelch a story, go to today's special broadcast/transcript on Democracy Now about the book Fortunate Son which the Bush family literally had burned (yes, burned) during the early part of the 2000 George W. Bush campaign for President.

The way the Bush family has covered up GW's crimes and whitewashed the criminals of the Regan and Bush I administrations (and brought back many of the same officials who were found guilty of crimes in those presidencies) smacks to me of the troubling and disgusting people who say that we survivors "make up" the abuse. The false memory syndrome people have been proven wrong, yet they keep bringing the stuff up. Bush keeps bringing the lies about the war and about his presidency before the people while ignoring the difficult truths in the past.

So, there's my rant for the day.
Wishing you peace and calm, even though I don't have much of it above,
Leah

Powerful Statement on Forgivness & Judaism

Marcia Cohen Spiegel, a talented and gifted writer, activist and Jewish educator has written a powerful statement on the themes of forgiveness related to sexual abuse. You can find the text at the following link to a pdf file - forgivness-and-high-holy-days - with a hat tip to The Awareness Center.

Shabbat Shalom

Shabbat shalom to you. It seems like a long time since I had a shabbat day at home, well part of the day anyway. (I chanted Torah for one of the local Conservative congregations today, then saw a student.)

I got home from my trip on Thursday night after nearly 12 hours of travel (3 hour drive from where I visited J to my first flight then two flights and a 1.25 hour drive home). The trip was a bit different than I expected, but I am glad that I went there. J ended up spending two days in the hospital, but is now - I hope - finally feeling better. He has really been through it this summer! Besides spending time with J and some of his family, I was able to see a good friend of mine who lives about an hour from where he was. She and I had a great time together and had a chance to get somewhat caught-up. One thing healing has helped me with which I put into major use during the trip is flexibility. That was definately practiced.

Well, there is a bit of an update.
Wishing you a day of thriving,
Leah

34

It's a little weird to post this about myself, but here goes anyway.

Today when I awoke, I did so as a 34-year old. Wow. Young with still so much life to live, but I have to say that as a kid, I never thought I would get this far. Thank God for all the healing that the Divine has brought me over the past years which enable me to reach this day. I am proud and joyful to reach this day and God-willing I will reach many many more.

Friends!

Hi! Just a quick note from the road. There have been a few bumps in my trip, but I am still enjoying the tremendous blessings which friendship and thrivership bring.

With hope that you are finding hope, strength and courage in your day too,
Leah