Create Opportunities for Community Dialogue

כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִים זֶה בָּזֶה

All Jews are responsible for one another. (Babylonian Talmud Shevuot 39a)

The famous Talmudic maxim “All Jews are responsible for one another” lays the foundation upon which this Best Practice is built. This Best Practice supports your organization in engaging your board, leadership, and broader community in youth safeguarding efforts and outlines the roles each group can play in safeguarding youth. When every community member is involved in protecting and nurturing our youth, we can create meaningful and lasting cultural change that promotes safer spaces for generations to come.

Establish the Jewish values that guide your organization’s youth safeguarding practices.

Guide: Applying Jewish Sources

Prepare to engage a broader audience by grounding your work in Jewish values.

Sample: Introductions to Prayers

Acknowledge victim-survivors in your community during prayer services or communal gatherings with these trauma-informed introductions to communal prayers.

Sample: Values and Mission Statements

Anchor your work in tradition with these sample mission or values statements from communities who have engaged in youth safeguarding work.

Handout: Valuing Children

Use this text study with the facilitator’s guide to lead a discussion on valuing youth in Jewish tradition.

Companion Resources

Facilitator’s Guide: Valuing Children

Use this facilitator’s guide to lead a discussion on the text study.

Handout: Protecting Children

Use this text study with the facilitator’s guide to lead a discussion on safeguarding youth as our community’s fundamental moral responsibility.

Companion Resources

Facilitator’s Guide: Protecting Children

Use this facilitator’s guide to lead a discussion on the text study.

Introduce your organization’s leadership, board, or other key stakeholders to Aleinu’s Best Practices.

PowerPoint: Meeting with Organizational Leadership

Introduce Aleinu’s Best Practices to your organization’s leadership and discuss how your organization can begin or grow its youth safeguarding efforts.

FAQ: Debunking Common Myths

Prepare your board, leadership, or key stakeholders for common myths they may encounter when introducing youth safeguarding efforts to the community.

Sample Email to Key Stakeholders

Adapt this template email to send to your board, leadership, or key stakeholders in the organization to learn more about the youth safeguarding work your organization is embarking on.

Learn how to engage your organization’s community in youth safeguarding.

Guide: Advice from a Youth Safety Committee Chair

One Committee Chair’s advice on generating communal support for your safeguarding efforts.

Guide: Framework for Sensitive Programming

Select strategies for creating a sensitive and supportive environment for your community dialogue about youth safeguarding.

Guide: Including Teen Voices on the Committee

Understand the role teens can play in guiding your youth safeguarding efforts. Learn how to solicit their input and engage them in your work.

Worksheet: Community Awareness Plan

Adopt strategies for creating community awareness through communications, integrated events, dedicated events, and community partnerships.

Sample: Kavanah (Intention-Setting)

Use this sample kavanah as is or as a starting point for writing a grounding intention to share with your community when you engage them in safeguarding efforts.

Sample Community Email

Review and adapt this sample email to send to your community members informing them of the youth safeguarding work you are taking on.