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Nobody should have to experience
the pain of sexual abuse alone.

Every Jewish survivor and their family deserves community. Support Ray of Hope.

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Ray of Hope Institute, Inc is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (Tax ID 85-2872171).

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Ray of Hope Institute, Inc is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (Tax ID 85-2872171).

About Us
Ray of Hope's mission is to build caring and empowered communities to support Jewish men, women, and families in their healing from the trauma of sexual abuse.
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Goldy Friedman, LCSW

Group Facilitator

Goldy Friedman, LCSW, is the Lead Therapist at InReach Behavioral Health, where she oversees clinical programming, supervises therapists, and leads a variety of skills-based and process groups for adolescents and adults. Her work focuses on individuals struggling with emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other complex mental health challenges. In addition to her work at InReach, Goldy maintains a private practice where she provides individual therapy and parent guidance. She is passionate about helping individuals and families navigate complex emotional challenges and make meaningful changes in their lives and relationships.

CB Eisner

Group Facilitator

CB Eisner is a psychotherapist and board-certified sex therapist specializing in trauma, intimacy, sexuality, and addiction. She works with adults and couples and integrates IFS, EMDR, Flash Technique, CBT, attachment-based, and psychodynamic approaches in her clinical work. She has extensive training in trauma, human sexuality, sexual functioning, and addiction treatment, and is Gottman-trained in couples therapy. Her clinical work includes sexual dysfunction, communication and emotional disconnection, sexual trauma, anxiety, depression, and maternal mental health. She also provides clinical consultation to Rabbanim and Kallah teachers on sensitive and complex cases.
Aliza Shupac

Group Facilitator

Aliza Shupac is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist who supports individuals, couples, and families impacted by trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. She is a Certified EMDR Therapist with over a decade of experience helping clients understand and heal from distressing emotional patterns rooted in past experiences.

Aliza has over ten years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, children, and families. She brings advanced training in trauma treatment, EMDR, and evidence-based modalities that support long-term healing rather than symptom management alone. She provides a warm, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed therapeutic environment where clients can feel seen and respected. She works with both individuals and couples, integrating EMDR and other evidence-based approaches to process unresolved experiences and strengthen emotional resilience.

 

Racheli Teichman Rosenblatt

LCSW-R

Racheli Teichman Rosenblatt, LCSW-R maintains a private practice serving clients across Florida and New York. She is particularly passionate about helping women heal from complex trauma, and finds deep meaning and inspiration in the work she feels privileged to do.

Racheli previously spent nearly a decade as a supervisor at JBFCS, guiding and supporting therapists working in yeshiva high schools throughout Brooklyn. She continually expands her clinical toolbox and has trained extensively in IFS, Somatic IFS, STAIR, and TF-CBT, with a strong focus on trauma-informed, evidence-based care.

Stephanie Rosenberg

LCSW

Stephanie Rosenberg, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Lakewood, NJ. She offers sensitive, trauma-focused treatment and is intensively trained in DBT, EMDR, EFT, and Sand Play Therapy. Stephanie believes that each client holds the answers they seek within themselves, and her role is to gently guide them toward uncovering those truths. Her warm, grounded approach creates a safe space for healing, insight, and lasting change.
Faye Wilber

LCSW

Faye Wilbur, LCSW   specializes in helping people who have experienced a trauma heal and grow with a special focus on intrafamilial violence. She maintains a private practice, is an Associate Professor and clinical supervisor for Touro Graduate School of Social Work and provides trainings on a variety of topics. Ms. Wilbur likewise supervises clinicians in a mental health clinic as well as being a consultant and supervisor in not-for-profit organizations in the frum community . Ms. Wilbur feels privileged to be part of Ray of Hope 

Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness

Ray of Hope integrates trauma-sensitive mindfulness into its programming as a powerful resource for grounding, healing, and presence.

Members are invited to explore simple, accessible mindfulness tools—including breathwork, guided reflection, and gentle awareness practices—within the safety and comfort of their own personal spaces and lives.

Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness is never required, but always offered with warmth and care. Whether as a steady anchor or a gentle doorway inward, it is a practice that supports members in meeting life with greater clarity, compassion, and self-trust.

Healing Webinars

Ray of Hope, in collaboration with Saprea, offers live webinars featuring expert presenters and topics chosen with the needs of our community in mind.

From trauma education to self-compassion, boundaries to spiritual resilience, these webinars provide accessible, relevant tools to support healing and growth.

Webinars are open to Ray of Hope members and are often accompanied by opportunities for follow-up discussion, resource sharing, and further connection.

Healing Retreats

Ray of Hope’s retreats, in collaboration with Saprea, provide members with the rare gift of time and space for self-care, reflection, and emotional renewal.

These immersive experiences are built around themes of healing, empowerment, and connection. With trauma-informed staff and thoughtfully paced programming, retreats may include creative workshops, body-based practices, peer support, and quiet time for rest and integration.

Every retreat centers the dignity and voice of each participant, honoring the sacredness of their journey.

Member Shabbatons

Ray of Hope’s gender-specific Shabbatons offer members an uplifting, meaningful, and joy-filled weekend immersed in connection and community.

Held in warm and welcoming environments, each Shabbaton is designed to foster a sense of belonging, uplift, and peer bonding. Participants enjoy nourishing meals, shared group and communal activities, and thoughtfully curated programming—blending inspiration, joyful experiences, rest, and friendship.

Shabbatons reflect Ray of Hope’s commitment to creating spaces of safety, growth, and shared celebration.

Rivka Recht

INTAKE COORDINATOR

Rivka Recht is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Chicago, IL. She currently serves as the Intake Coordinator at Ray of Hope, helping clients ease into their healing journey with care and professionalism. Rivka has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults, with a particular focus on supporting individuals and families through crises, life transitions, and other emotionally complex experiences.
She is also a Case Manager at One Family, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to supporting children of divorced families. In this role, Rivka provides compassionate, child-centered care and coordination of services that promote emotional well-being and stability during family transitions. Her work ensures that children receive the guidance, mentorship, and resources they need to thrive.
Outside of her organizational roles, Rivka maintains a private coaching practice specializing in relationships, including dating, marriage, and divorce. Her broad expertise allows her to support clients through a wide range of emotional challenges with professionalism, insight, and empathy.
Jaye Moyer

LCSW-R, TEP

Jaye practices psychotherapy, mentoring, and supervision in the Hudson Valley and via Zoom. Jaye was a former adjunct faculty at NYU Graduate School of Social Work, Clinical Supervisor and Coordinator of Group Services at GMHC, certified by the ABE as a trainer, educator and practitioner in Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy, and faculty member and trainer at the Psychodrama Training Institute of New York.

Jaye specializes in individual and couple therapy and has presented nationally and internationally on the integration of mindfulness, experiential investigation, and group process. She is the creator of an online program entitled Embodied Presence in Action. For the past four years, Jaye has been a facilitating teacher for the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies online Daily Sit.

Yehuda Mandel

LCSW

Yehuda Mandel, LCSW is the associate director and clinical supervisor in Tikunim Counseling Services (TCS). TCS is a private practice that works with individuals across the Orthodox Jewish spectrum struggling with clinical, personality, spiritual, and relationship challenges. Yehuda conducts assessments, provides treatment, and supervises clinicians in his role in TCS. Yehuda has specific training in assessing and treating individuals with problematic sexual behaviors as well as males who experienced sexual trauma. He is trained in various trauma treatment modalities that help him bring healing to his clients. Yehuda is involved in sexual abuse prevention programming helping schools and camps design policies to enhance the safety of the children in their care. Finally, Yehuda teaches clinical practice courses in Wurzweiler school of social work.
Dr. Bin Goldman

Psy.D.

Dr. Bin Goldman is a licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to wellness, healing, and growth within the Jewish community. Practicing in Teaneck, NJ, and the Upper West Side, he treats anxiety, trauma, and mood disorders in adults, children, and families. Dr. Goldman integrates CBT with mindfulness, ACT, IFS, and psychodynamic approaches, as well as trauma-focused modalities such as TF-CBT and the Flash Technique. He also conducts ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. As a trauma specialist with Ohel, he provides crisis and bereavement support and trains educators in building resilience. He has held leadership roles at ACHIEVE Behavioral Health and the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey and has taught and supervised at Rutgers and Columbia University. Dr. Goldman believes in the power of authentic personal spirituality for growth and healing, writing and lecturing on mental health, penimius hatorah, and Jewish meditation. He is also a musician, singer, and songwriter.

Leor Wasser

LMSW

Leor is a dedicated social worker specializing in supporting individuals impacted by intimate partner violence. After graduating with a Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University, Leor began working as a therapist at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. Using empathy and expertise, Leor employs a trauma-informed and culturally competent lens to support survivors of trauma working toward healing in both individual and group settings.

Malky Mayerfeld

Psy.D.

Dr. Malky Mayerfeld is a psychologist practicing in Monsey, NY. Following her position as a school psychologist at HASC Gan Ezra, Dr. Mayerfeld worked at Achieve Behavioral Health at Bikur Cholim, where she conducted individual and marital therapy, crisis intervention, clinical supervision, and the co-leading of several groups, including skills based DBT groups, process groups within the clinic’s Intensive Outpatient Program, and parenting groups for children with ADHD and emotional dysregulation. In addition, Dr. Mayerfeld maintains a private practice in which she incorporates a variety of methodologies, including Somatic Intervention, DBT, Sand Play Therapy, and EMDR.

Aliza Rosenwasser

Psy.D.

Dr. Aliza Rosenwasser obtained her doctorate in Psychology from Pace University where she was psychodynamically trained.

Dr. Rosenwasser was both a clinician and clinical supervisor at ACHIEVE Behavioral Health where her work focused on both individual and couples therapy. She also co-led DBT groups, parenting groups and facilitated a Trauma supervision group for clinicians.

Within her private practice in NY and NJ, Dr. Rosenwasser’s work is an intersection of her two main interests – attachment theory and complex trauma – and her work focuses on relationships and developmental trauma. Dr. Rosenwasser’s work with individuals, couples and the therapists she supervises, integrates a variety of modalities including psychodynamic conceptualization, mindfulness, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy DBT skills, trauma modalities like Somatic Interventions and EMDR, all firmly grounded in neuroscience. 

Goldy Gorelick

LCSW

Goldy is a certified EFT therapist and supervisor. Goldy has extensive experience working with trauma victims and is a recognized expert in the strengths-based treatment of trauma victims, as well as clients struggling with sex addiction. She is a certified EMDR therapist and consultant who is trained in various other modalities of trauma treatment including IFS, Inner Child Work, Imaginal Nurturing, Somatic therapy among other effective therapeutic modalities. Goldy is an expert therapist and lecturer who has brought individuals and couples to a place in their lives where they can thrive on their own.

Shifi Lieberman

LMFT

Shifi Lieberman, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who is focused on Creating Emotionally Healthy Families. Her passion is empowering and education parents to help their own children. Therefore, Shifi writes a weekly Newsletter and has created two popular virtual courses SOCIAL SKILLS MADE SIMPLE. and ANXIETY MADE SIMPLE. Additionally, Shifi has trainings in various Trauma modalities. To learn more about Shifi and to sign up for her Newsletter called “Socially Appropriate-ish,”

visit her website www.ShifiLieberman.com

Dr. Shoshana Friedman

Psy.D.

Shoshana Friedman is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Clifton,
NJ. Dr. Friedman specializes in the treatment of trauma and attachment,
relationship and intimacy issues, anxiety disorders, and general life
transitions. She practices psychodynamically and integrates DBT, EMDR, IFS, SP
and other somatic-based treatments. Dr. Friedman previously worked in the
foster care system, served as the Director of Psychological and Counseling
Services at Bruriah High School and managed several university based research
teams. Dr. Friedman is particularly concerned with the impact of acute,
chronic, and complex trauma and provides research based interventions that
support trauma recovery, emotional healing, and healthier relationships. Dr.
Friedman is a member of the Hatzolah mental health unit and regularly
collaborates with community organizations. She currently works with
adults and families, facilitates group therapy sessions, and supervises other
clinicians and school-based professionals.

Dr. Friedman joined the Ray of Hope team in 2021
and describes facilitating ROH groups as, “an immensely meaningful and
transformative experience. Through the power of collective healing, these
groups foster a sense of community, validation, and empowerment, enabling women
to reclaim their identities, rebuild their self-worth, and embark on a journey
of healing and recovery. I am so grateful for the opportunity to witness the
resilience, growth, and renewed hope within these women as they support each
other and navigate their lives.” 

Jodie Touboul

GROUP FACILITATOR

Jodie Touboul is a clinical social worker who lives and works in Lakewood, NJ. Her passion is helping people take life’s challenges and use them as a means for personal growth and transformation using a psycho-spiritual model. She has extensive training in DBT and IFS and is EMDR certified. In addition to her private practice she runs a DBT group and is a consultant for Yad Rachel- an agency that provides therapy and services for women with postpartum mood disorders.
Temima Kupfer

GROUP FACILITATOR

Temima Kupfer, LCSW, is a compassionate and dedicated Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Brooklyn, NY. With extensive experience in individual and group therapy settings, Temima is devoted to guiding individuals on their path to healing and personal growth. Utilizing holistic modalities such as EMDR and Somatic Experience, she offers a comprehensive and transformative approach.

Drawing from her practice experience in running group therapy, Temima understands the power of collective support and shared experiences. She creates a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can engage in group discussions, gain insights from others, and benefit from the therapeutic synergy of the group setting.
Temima’s profound understanding of human emotions and relational dynamics allows her to adeptly integrate this knowledge into her practice. She helps individuals explore how their personal experiences connect with their relationships, fostering growth and healing on multiple levels.

With her compassionate nature and unwavering dedication, Temima cultivates a safe and supportive space for transformative healing. Whether addressing trauma, building self-esteem, or navigating life transitions, her holistic and personalized approach empowers clients to discover their inner strength, resilience, and inner peace. 

David Kohn

CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER

David Kohn, the Chief Clinical Officer at Ray of Hope, is a highly accomplished clinical social worker who is deeply committed to facilitating healing and empowerment for individuals. With extensive experience in trauma and addiction treatment, as well as marital therapy, David operates a thriving private clinical practice where he provides compassionate and evidence-based care. As a leader at Ray of Hope, David plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s professionally sound approach and ensuring the delivery of high-quality services, while remaining deeply committed to the care and support of each individual. His dedication to integrating mindfulness meditation seamlessly into his clinical practice sets him apart, offering a unique and transformative therapeutic experience. Residing in New City, NY, alongside his wife and five sons, David finds personal joy in his life and brings that positive energy to his work. Through his unwavering dedication to his clients, commitment to community service, and passion for personal growth, David Kohn exemplifies the qualities of a highly skilled and compassionate clinical social worker and psychotherapist. His expertise, empathy, and mindful approach empower individuals to triumph over challenges and embrace a life of healing and fulfillment.
Malkie Gestetner

LCSW

Yami Breitowitz

LCSW

Yami Breitowitz, LCSW graduated from Long Island University’s MSW program in 2012. Since that time, she has devoted her career towards providing sensitive and trauma focused treatment to individuals, families and groups. Yami brings her whole heart to each interaction, and deeply respects those who have the courage to seek out support and are invested in the healing journey. Yami has advanced training in several different modalities including Internal Family Systems, Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Therapy amongst others. However, she has learned the most from the people she has been privileged to work with. 

Desiree Nazarian

LMSW, CSAT, CPTT

Desiree Nazarian is a trauma focused psychotherapist who has a specialization in intimacy and sexual and relational trauma. Desiree works alongside her clients to navigate the complexities of intimate partner dynamics and betrayal and is passionately skilled in the overlap between sexual, hormonal, and mental health. Desiree is a first-generation Iranian American who deeply understands the role culture and family systems play in identity and boundary formation within religious and immigrant communities. Her work involves bringing attention to a client’s internal experience and allowing deep awareness of the spoken language of the body to allow for subconscious messages to be released and revealed. In previous years, Desiree worked in the nonprofit sector providing intensive holistic and supportive counseling and service provision to Holocaust Survivors while identifying the impacts of their generational wisdom and trauma. Desiree is a Certified Partner Trauma Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist and is a member of (IITAP) International Trauma and Addiction Professionals. She is also an active member and student of The Embody Lab and is has received her Somatic Attachment Certification in 2023.

Professional collaboration

Ray of Hope recognizes that addressing the needs of survivors requires a collective effort and a holistic approach by partnering with other community-based social service agencies, organizations, and institutions.This collaborative approach promotes a sense of unity and solidarity within the community, and ensures that members receive the most effective and tailored assistance possible.

Trainings

Ray of Hope offers comprehensive trainings on sexual abuse awareness to communities, Rabbonim, mental health professionals and chosson and kallah teachers. These trainings focus on equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize signs of sexual abuse, respond appropriately, and provide support to survivors. The trainings cover topics such as understanding the dynamics of sexual abuse, shame, stigma and isolation, and the importance of cultivating communities of awareness, understanding and support.

Ray of Hope emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of safety, trust, and open communication within communities, religious environments and educational settings. By raising awareness and providing education, we aim to empower individuals to take proactive steps in preventing and addressing sexual abuse.

Care packages

Members receive thoughtfully curated packages around select chagim, reinforcing the experience of being seen, supported, and cared for. Each package is designed with intention and sensitivity, offering meaningful items that bring comfort, connection, and a sense of belonging.

Online platforms for peer support

Ray of Hope’s online groups enable members to connect with others from the comfort of their own homes, overcoming geographical barriers or limitations that may otherwise impede further connection.

Being a part of a Ray of Hope chat or group creates a sense of community among members who have had similar experiences. It offers an opportunity to connect with others who understand their struggles, providing validation, empathy, and encouragement.

This constant availability can be especially valuable during moments of loneliness or distress.

Member newsletter

Released on a quarterly basis, Ray of Hope’s newsletter reflects the spirit, creativity, strength and heart of its community.

Providing its members a platform for sharing their essays, creative writing, poetry, and art, newsletters are always inspiring, thought-provoking, and always unconditionally supportive.

Trauma informed yoga

In collaboration with Exhale to Inhale, Ray of Hope is pleased to offer its members access to exclusive, trauma-informed online Yoga classes.

Expertly guided by skilled instructors, these classes empower members through healing practices, fostering strength, safety, and a profound reconnection with their inner worthiness.

Social events

Ray of Hope’s social events strengthen relationships and enhance a sense of camaraderie between members.

All events support an atmosphere of friendship and comfort, while also ensuring respect for mutual privacy.

In addition to community-wide Ray of Hope member events, our Care Manager collaborates with each support group in coordinating group-specific get togethers and activities.

Care management

Care Management is the doorway to everything Ray of Hope does and offers.
Although it is not formal treatment with a therapist, Ray Of Hope’s Care Management brings heart, soul and care to everyone whose lives have been impacted by sexual abuse.

Through our Care Management program, Ray of Hope members are offered individual and family support.

We work closely with members in identifying additional Ray of Hope resources and referrals that would assist and increase their quality of life.

We frequently collaborate with other agencies, institutions and social service organizations.

Support groups

Groups generally fall into one of two categories – group therapy and peer support.

Ray of Hope has developed a unique, hybrid model: The professionally-facilitated, psycho-educational peer support group.

The groups all share some common goals:

  • To provide emotional support through the experiences of peer and mutual identification.
  • To provide a sense of community through increased social network and the development of friendships.
  • To strengthen members’ sense of personal empowerment, by identifying one’s personal strengths and inner and outer resources.
  • To learn coping skills, through learning practical strategies for managing challenging situations and circumstances.

Our professionally facilitated, gender-specific peer support groups are held in multiple locations and also online.

Our unique professionally-facilitated peer group model is being replicated to also serve the support needs of spouses of survivors, and those with specific needs, such as survivors of intimate partner violence, those over the age of 40, etc.

Thank you
Thank you
A little girl
So young and innocent
So small and pure
So sweet and loveable
But there came the monster and robbed it all
He took away her identity
He took away her safety
He took away her belief of her beauty
He took it all
She’s left robbed
She’s all alone
She has no one to turn to
No ones safe
No one can understand her
No one can hold the space
So she keeps it hidden
And no one sees her tiny broken heart
She goes thru years and years
No one would suspect a thing
But the pain and shame is there
She carries it along everywhere
She feels torn and broken
No idea what’s her own identity
She learns to wear the mask so professionally
But then came the ray of hope!
She’s not alone
She’s got who to turn to
She’s got a room that’s safe
She has a group that can hold her space!
Thank you for the ray of hope is all I can say
F.K.
True connection
A group of friends,
Sitting around the table,
Joyfully connecting.
You would think,
Good circumstances unite them.
You would think,
Their friendship grew,
Through fun and joy and light.
In reality,
What unites them,
Is pain and shattered hearts,
Darkness and abuse.
They share wounds created by their fathers, mothers, siblings and grandparents.
They share childhood wounds created by the adults that were meant to be safe with them.
Their wounds are all encompassing,
And so is there friendship.
They know real love,
They understand real support,
They show real validation,
They sit with all the parts of themselves,
With kindness and compassion.
And in those sacred spaces,
They mend the shattered hearts.
So when you see them,
Laughing, joking and having fun.
Know the binds that unite them,
Are sewn into their healing hearts
Stamping them as a warrior forever.
C.S.
Unsung heroes
These are heroes most don’t know
I want to sing their song
And once you hear about them too
Perhaps you’ll sing along
I sing for those who are so down
They feel like they are dead
And yet somehow with each new day
They still get out of bed
I sing for those who try and fail
And try and fail again
Even if they’re still failing
At trial number ten
I sing for those who are so sad
They’d rather not be living
But still they face their challenges
And try to keep on giving
I sing for those who’ve suffered
A terrible abuse
And yet to give up hope on life
Is something they refuse
I sing for those who try to climb
Their mountains- that are steep
Even when they’re tired
And they cannot rest or sleep
I sing for those who try to be there
For their children everyday
Even when it’s difficult
Since they don’t feel ok
I sing for those who really try
To scream just one less time
Even if all that means
Is eight times instead of nine
I sing for those who did not have
A happy childhood
Yet they try to give their child(ren)
What every mother should
I sing for those who’ve tried
But their kids still call them mean
And still they try to show their love
These super-heroines
I sing for those who, as students
Were bullied or ignored
But when they teach in any class
They give their students more
I sing for those who work so hard
To act so strong and brave
When inside all they feel is fear
And they wish they would be saved
I sing for those whose challenges
Are not discussed out loud
And yet they try to function
As if “part of the crowd”
I sing for those who do
What is good and right for them
Even if because of that
They face some rejections
I sing for those who’ve toiled much
Without the “kings horses and men”
Yet somehow, they did manage
To “put Humpty Dumpty together again”
So now that you have heard some
Of the reasons for my song
I hope you all agree that
It’s time to sing along
F.C
Facing challenge with strength
Dear God,
It’s been a tough week. A week where I turn to You. Moved away from You and looked towards You again. This week challenged me, challenged my beliefs. Leaving me with nothing besides my belief in You. All I can think of is You. So I turn to You. I pray to You. Knowing that You’re with me. This is the thought that helped me through this difficult week. But when darkness came, and there was no light to guide me. I stumbled and fell. Hurting myself in the process, hurting our relationship. During that weak moment, pain takes over and I followed my heart instead of my mind. I allowed myself to be fooled into thinking You left me. Abandoned me. But I didn’t stay there. I picked myself up, dusted myself off and with a heavy heart, continued. Trying to win this struggling battle. And I realized, It’s not about winning. It’s not about victory. But rather its about me and You. It’s me trying to get closer, trying to forge a better connection with You. It’s not about how many battles I won. It’s not about my successes, but rather, the failure that then brought success. For though at times, the failure feels like a burden too heavy to carry. You’re the one shouldering most of it. Giving me only what is necessary to deepen our relationship. Pain and struggles are necessary because to stand up, one has to know what falling down feels like. So I will fall, and keep falling but I will keep getting back up. For after all, that it what will me stronger. You and I, stronger!
Living again
This is a tiny speck into my world of childhood sexual abuse.
When one suffers a trauma in silence, it grows!
My life was robbed in an instant!
It’s not a story that one can share.
The shame is too much to bear.
Every day is a nightmare.
When you see my face on the street,
I smile and look cool and neat.
But Inside I’m chopped meat,
My heart was shattered in a beat.
Life is crushed and incomplete.
Indescribable shame, tormented, it cuts so deep.
Self-blame, doubting, washed out, deplete.
Trying to climb mountains precipitous and steep.
I fall lower and harder in my seat.
Silently I’m in shambles and weep.
Days are endless, the nights creep
The abuse won’t let me sleep
Wishing my memories would delete
The suffering just grows in silence and deceit.
My heart has a deep, dark hole,
It hurts too much for my soul.
Goodbye to my pain and suffering.
Goodbye to my voiceless voice.
Goodbye to my invisible scars.
Goodbye to the abuse that’s shoved under the rug
Goodbye to my silenced voice.
Rock bottom I hit,
I’m at the bottom of the pit.
Then, Hashem sends me A RAY OF HOPE!!!
“RAY OF HOPE”
Without RAY OF HOPE I would not be here today!
They give my voiceless voice, A voice,
They grant authentic connection, Building trust
They bestow The invisible scars With compassion.
They see silenced, broken victims With empathy
They provide a safe space To share
They give a worthless life Another chance
They take it from under the rug With patience
But most of all they provide
A RAY OF HOPE!!
As they keep reminding us
“We got hurt from people And we heal through people”
Written with A Ray Of Hope
~By Chana
Unburdened

 I have gained so much from my support groups with Ray of hope. It’s hard to think of one thing to they that I’ve gained, because there are so many. I gained companionship and a safe place to share my deepest struggles and pains in a safe and judgement free zone. Having this group has made me realize I am not alone on this journey and that there are other people who think or feel the way I do. I made great friends and feel a deep bond to the women I’ve met. Something else I’ve gained was a outlet for anything I’m going through that I feel I cannot disclose to people in my day to day life. Having the group over zoom with people from all over makes the environment feel extremely safe and I’m able to express myself freely, which is so helping and healing. But on top of all these wonderful gains I have received from ROH, the most exceptional one was a pivotal moment on my healing journey. It was my very first meeting and the very first time ever in my entire life that I lifted the rug and pulled out all the secrets that I buried deep and acknowledged the fact that I am a survivor. I unburied that secret the day I signed into our first meeting. When I looked around that zoom meeting room and saw all those faces looking back at me, looking just as scared as me, I had a stunning realization that we were all tired of holding this shame on our shoulders. We all had enough. And we all discovered that it was never ours to hold to begin with. The greatest gift I’ve received from Ray of Hope was permission to remove the shame, remove the stigma, remove the big ugly rug that never should’ve been there and embrace myself as a strong, thriving, and surviving warrior for everything I’ve been through. I feel so indebted to the organization for giving all these women a safe space to heal and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

Shove it Under the Rug
That was the motto my entire childhood Have an uncomfortable feeling?
Shove it under the rug
Someone violated you?
Shove it under the rug
Curious about your body? Your sexuality?
Shove that even deeper under the rug
I have a very lumpy rug in my life, to say the least
I spent so many years suppressing any uncomfortable thoughts or feelings that at 35 I’m only starting to learn how I feel
The work is painfully slow because I have to undo so many years of damage
And start from scratch
Like when a preschool teacher holds up a chart of different faces and emotions and the child is prompted to label and identify which one matches their own present feelings My therapist hands me a feelings wheel chart.
My chart doesn’t have the visual faces of toddlers
But it’s essentially the same nonetheless.
Step one, learn about feelings
Step two, now it’s time to discover some of your own personal feelings
It’s no easy task when you spent your entire life suppressing them for survival
It’s a catch 22 really
The key to healing is the one thing I buried deep for survival And now I need to unbury it so I can heal
It’s harder than it sounds
I started doing my work fairly recently, And I am gaining a lot of insight
I can even name some of my feelings
And I’m even, albeit with a little trepidation, lifting up the rug a little.
My perception of my life is divided by two parts:
Before and after
Before and after I lifted the rug and changed my life indefinitely
Before my awakening and after my awakening
Is that the right word? It’s more like before my world spun upside down and the chaos after
Before and after my life became a mess
Before and after I realIzed how broken I am by the trauma of my past
The rug is a powerful thing really
It’s ability to hold so much can be impressive
And frightening all at one
The lure to shove even more under there now is so strong Some days I lovingly think back to my life before I started the work
I was so naive
And unaware
And maybe I wasn’t soaring with my beautiful wings living a life completely authentic
And maybe I lived behind my walls and protected myself
But I still felt good enough
My life was good enough
Is that the price for shoving things under the rug?
Mediocre ?
Doesn’t sound half bad
Especially on days like today
Listening to people talk about things they love
Things that most people love
But they’re things that people like me cannot tolerate
They’re triggers
And everyone else seems to take it for granted
That they can enjoy the simple things in life
It’s hard to live in a world where things that bring majority of the world joy
Are things that take my breathe away
They make it hard to breathe
Hard to live
Hard to exist and continue the fight
When the rug is down it’s easier to tolerate these things
I’m not a hugger
I don’t care to go for a massage
I’m not a very emotional person
My family is dysfunctional, but whose isn’t?
That was before
But after?
Now these things are defining me
And consuming me
A Scarlett letter tattooed to my forehead
Now it feels like everyone sees it
Do they?
What did I unearth when I stopped shoving everything under the rug?
When I lifted the corner to let it out?
It seems like everything escaped at once and I can’t control it It’s consuming me now
And all I want to do is shove it right back under the rug
Hit the rewind button..
If only it were that simple…
I really wish it was that simple
But alas, life is never that simple.
So as far as I can see there’s only one way away from this mess Moving forward, Chin up
One step at a time
Clean up one mess at a time
Smooth out the rug
Live authentic , Live fully
Soar high
Life’s Roadmap
What is it That possibly may be Standing in the way Complicating things In a relationship? You are a Mentch You have good Middos You consider your self A Noteworthy Pretty good girl. And you are, You really are. What needs awareness Is that you just need to learn Learn how to work this car How to navigate the system How to understand the engine Every relationship, an individual car. You are not expected to be a savvy driver on your own you are no expected to automatically be aware of potholes in the road you are not expected to naturally be familiar with all routes or where the traffic is heavy it takes work effort and exertion to learn the ropes understand the mechanics comprehend the maneuvers it takes time motivation and exercise to familiarize yourself with the vehicle In order to successfully have a very smooth drive
So go for it Read the instructions Study the guide Invest in the manual Yes, of course You will crash And fail the test You will mess up Multiple times Feel defeated And be ready to quit But please Do comprehend The accidents grant you experience They teach you Your sensitivities Weaknesses And triggers, Better hope for future rides Practice makes perfect Although it’s not perfection were seeking Once you purse To pass the test You reach a goal To turn failure into lesson You will have damage control Knowledge That after collisions And smashing wreckages To continuously try your utmost To solidly land Back on the road And successfully carry on A very smooth drive
Heightened Homerun
Written by: B.K.
Walking
Walking
Trekking
Shlepping
Around and around Misfortune
surrounds You continue
Not knowing why Not knowing how
You continue
Only knowing
That you know Nothing at all.
You proceed
Move forward Advance
Yet each day
Each instance of time Seems the be
a repeat Intently the same
Or is so very similar As a moment
before Reflecting
Agony
Torment
Discomfort.
Walking
Walking
Trekking
Shlepping
Around and around Misfortune
surrounds Around and around You
go go go.
 
But dear.
You don’t realize
That each circle you create
Each time you come back to center
You’re a millimeter higher
A millimeter stronger
A millimeter braver
Each home run
Is a silent flag catch
A silent accomplished win
Each home run
Establishes that
You haven’t returned to position 1
You’re up to point 1
Point 2. point 3
Round l,2.3
You’re following the goal
The goal of winning
Winning life,
Each completion or your round
circle Heightens you
A little bit up up.
You’re not a quitter
Realize how resilient you are
Your perseverance
You’re an inspiration
You don’t play by the rules
3 strikes and out
For your above that
You’re above greatness
You are greatness itself
So go on
Continue trekking
Continue shlepping
Around and around
As they say.
Each home run
Shall be celebrated
With a shot of whiskey.
Holding tight
God,
My brain is hurting
My head is spinning
As I sit here Numb from pain.
Feels so unreal.
Dizziness overtakes
As I think about you.
I think about your actions
Your thoughts
And my limited understanding.
I can’t comprehend, Can’t understand
But I don’t ask. I don’t question why.
Why my family, Why my friends, Why the marriage
Why the abuse.
I’m not questioning.
Not asking for a reason
To explain what I’ve gone through But I have one question.
Totty, why don’t I feel you When I’m being broken?
When I’m being shattered? When I’m being crushed?
Why do you only allow me
To feel you
When I’m surrounded
By the right people?
When I’m in the right community?
When all is going good,
When I’m inspired,
It’s easy to connect to you. When I’m not home,
When I’m with friends,
Your always on my mind.
So why is it
That when darkness falls, When the nightmares start
And hell begins,
That you fall away.
That you hide yourself
In unknown places.
That my trust in you
Falters.
When all is going good, When I’m inspired,
It’s easy to connect to you. When I’m not home,
When I’m with friends,
Your always on my mind.
So why is it
That when darkness falls, When the nightmares start
And hell begins,
That you fall away.
That you hide yourself
In unknown places.
That my trust in you
Falters.
Totty I want you.
I want to feel you. I want to love you.
Not only when all is going good.
I want to feel you
When I’m a pile
Of broken bones
With no energy to get back up.
I want to feel you
At night, When my world is black.
When I’m tossing and turning
And the tears flow.
I want to know you’re beside me When my friends give 20
min notice Before jumping.
I want to know you’ll catch them.
I want your presence to be clear
To be transparent
So I can see you.
I know you’re with me In my every step
But I don’t just want the knowledge. I want to know and feel it
In my heart and mind.
I want to be able To reach for your hand
And for you to lead me Through.
Totty, I’ve stopped moving backwards. Stopped visiting my past.
Stopped trying to change my past. I’m heading towards the future.
I’m no longer angry
For what I’ve gone through.
And I’m not even angry
For where I find myself now.
I don’t need you
To take away the pain.
I don’t need you to change my home. I’m not asking for you
To take revenge on those who hurt me. Totty,
All I’m asking you
Is to please give me your hand,
Hold on tight And never let go.
So I can feel you and love you Without imagining your presence.
Give me your hand
So we can walk side by side.
Hand in hand.
Because walking together in the dark With You
Is better than walking alone
In the light.
Eli Mandelbaum

RMFT-CCC, CPTT

Dr. Eli Mandelbaum is a licensed psychologist practicing in New City, NY where he works with individuals and couples through a relational/attachment lens. He also runs ongoing men-only groups including a therapy/process group at his private practice and a support group for those who experienced pregnancy loss through the organization ATIME. Dr. Mandelbaum is also the Director of Clinical Coordination and Training for the Brooklyn based organization SIMHA (Sephardic Initiative for Mental Health). He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from LIU Post and his undergraduate degree from Touro University. In addition to his doctoral training, Dr. Mandelbaum has also received advanced training in Psychoanalytic theory from New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute and, in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) from the Ackerman Institute.

Abby Delouya

RMFT-CCC, CPTT

Abby Delouya is a Registered Marriage and Family therapist in private practice. Abby is specially trained in trauma work, EMDR (EMDRIA), and is a Certified Partner Trauma Therapist (IITAP). In her practice, Abby supports betrayed partners and couples in recovery from sex addiction to help them find hope and healing – through individual, couples and group work. Abby is also the Director of Intake and Outreach for Ray of Hope, a national organization that provides support for those who are impacted by sexual abuse. Abby works from a trauma informed, heart centred approach. Attuning to safety, empowerment, and connection is always at the forefront of Abby’s clinical work as she supports in the healing from the effects of trauma, addiction and abuse. Abby is also a regular writer for an international magazine, has extensive experience in teaching psychology and English literature in post-secondary institutions and feels blessed to live life with her husband and children in Monsey, NY.
Tamar Perlman

Psy.D

Dr. Tamar Perlman is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working with the Jewish community for the past decade. She received her doctorate from Ferkauf’s adult clinical graduate program and has since continued to seek further trainings in numerous modalities,including trauma treatment and couples therapy. She practices privately in Queens, where she works primarily with women and couples and runs supervision groups with other therapists. In addition, Dr. Perlman runs support groups for female survivors of childhood abuse. Framed within Torah text and Hashkafa, Dr. Perlman also lectures on various topics including attachment, marriage, self development and emotion regulation. She also runs topic focused series in small groups of women providing them with guidance and perspective on issues related to relationships and dealing with internal and external stresses.

Chani Bronstein

LCSW

Chani is a licensed clinical social worker with a unique understanding of mental health struggles in the Jewish community. Her experience includes individual and group therapy at a partial hospitalization program at a preeminent teenage mental health institution (Newport Academy), working with victims of domestic violence within the Jewish community (Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse), and counseling in a Modern Orthodox high school (Berman Hebrew Academy). 

She specializes in helping people navigate all types of mental health struggles including anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation in a safe and accepting environment. Chani guides her clients through self-discovery while reinforcing vital skills to self-regulate and communicate healthily. Using a variety of proven trauma-based therapeutic modalities including EMDR, DBT, CBT, and mindfulness, Chani’s clients learn more about themselves so that they can thrive outside a clinical setting.

Frady Kess

LCSW

Frady Kess is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating individuals and families facing the challenges of domestic abuse, addictive disorders, and relational trauma. Frady draws from different therapeutic modalities including humanistic psychology, EMDR, ACT, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Frady is a certified IFS therapist, as well as an approved IFS clinical consultant.  Frady maintains a private practice in Brooklyn, New York where she helps clients navigate complex family dynamics, codependency, and relational trauma. She is also licensed in New Jersey, Florida, and Washington DC.

Whole Again

“Emotional pain can wreak havoc on your life. My childhood sexual abuse has caused me so much pain – it wrecked my life. I struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, intimacy struggles both physical and emotional, and so much more. The intense shame that comes along with this type of abuse as well as the heartbreaking grief of a lost childhood; consumes me day in and day out. Combine all this with the intense feeling of loneliness – that while on the outside I look like everyone else, “a frum Bais Yaakov girl married for four years with a successful job,” on the inside I have a story and a secret that no one knows. It is so lonely and so shaming to walk around with this painful secret.

“When I heard about Ray of Hope I was incredibly nervous. I did not want to identify with “this group of people,” as I called it. I was also anxious about who I would meet at the meeting. We live in a close-knit Jewish community, “what if I meet someone I already know?!”

“I pushed through my fear and made that first phone call reaching out to Ray of Hope. From the beginning, Ray of Hope took away my shame by normalizing my fears and letting me know that I could ask anything.

“After our first support group meeting, I felt a massive burden roll off my shoulders. I can’t even describe the relief and comfort I felt to connect to others who are in the same situation as me. The relief.

“Oh, the relief! I finally have people who I can call, text, meet up with outside of our support group night, and share anything without shame. There is no judgment because everyone understands the intricacies and complexities of childhood sexual abuse. We get each other without having to explain anything.

“Now, I look forward to our support group meetings because it makes me feel normal and feel whole again. It reminds me that I am not alone and that people care about me. My husband loves that I go too! He did not go through sexual abuse, so he often feels helpless as how to help me and be there for me. It gives him so much comfort that there are people out there that can support me and give me strength to keep moving forward.

“Ray of Hope is a true blessing for me. I am so grateful to have a beautiful group of wonderful survivors in my life. So although I still feel depressed and I still struggle with intimacy, I finally have support and friends who can relate to my struggles. When I need them, they are always there to remind and reassure me that what I feel is not my shame, not my fault, and most of all, that I’m not alone.

“Ray of Hope has given me something so important that I never had before and I would not give it up for anything.”

Thank you.
Zeldy Broyde

World of Hope

“For a girl like me, hurt, traumatized, and broken, Ray of Hope gave me a lot more than just a sliver of hope – it unlocked for me a world of hope. A world of healing and understanding, a world of safety, of acceptance, of love.

“At the innocent and vulnerable age of 12, I was repeatedly molested by a trusted family member. Family members didn’t take this information seriously and I was basically a little girl trying to fend for myself, struggling to survive in an unsafe depressing world. A few years ago, I started going for therapy and my therapist suggested that a support group could be helpful for me. I wouldn’t hear of it. I thought, “no one will understand, no one can ever comprehend the pain that I am living with, I don’t want people to know, I can’t show myself to the world, I can’t live in this world anymore.” Despite my reservations, I pushed myself and joined Ray of Hope.

“The first support group session was scary. I did not want to be seen. But as I got more comfortable with the girls, with the facilitator, these support group sessions became my lifeline. Now we have become a family – a beautiful, accepting, and healing family. I finally feel understood. I don’t feel judged. I feel appreciated – like I have a purpose in this world.

“It is so amazing to feel connected to women just like me who also went through this horrific trauma. Recently, two new women joined our support group. This is a huge step for them! It is vulnerable and sometimes a frightening leap. When they first joined, I proudly introduced myself and encouraged the newcomers. Our support group leader pointed out that during our first session, I was shy and closed but now I am welcoming new members! It was an amazing reflection that gave me such an awareness of the power of support groups.”

Not Alone

 “Shame, fear, despair, hopeless, That is the way I felt on a cold December day in 2019. The memories of my childhood assault had resurfaced from deep within my brain just a few weeks prior. It had been hidden all these years and reappeared after a hard and traumatic miscarriage.

“Walking down the street with my toddler, the world around me looked dark and bleak. I felt completely alone, as if no one else could possibly understand the pain I had been through, and the effect it was still having on myself and my relationships.

I may still be feeling alone, or not feeling at all if I had not taken the plunge and reached out to Ray of Hope on my therapist’s recommendation. My anxiety mounted days before the first meeting but faded away once the meeting started. The therapist who led the meeting was somehow able to take a group of people who went through horrific trauma in their lives come together and feel safe opening up and finally letting others listen and help.

“Ray of Hope has given me a new lease on life. The support group sessions help me come to terms with what was done to me. The relationships I have built with other survivors of abuse have helped me understand how I can still open up and trust. Without Ray of Hope, I don’t know what would have happened to my marriage and my relationship with my husband. Although I know the road ahead will not always be easy, with the incredible help I am getting I now look to the future with hope.”

Zeldy Broyde

FOUNDER/CEO

Zeldy Broyde is a dedicated individual who prioritizes her roles as a mother of four and as an active member of the Haverstraw, NY community. She possesses a deep-rooted desire to make a positive impact and provide assistance to others. Leveraging her personal life experiences, Zeldy has established a significant platform that empowers individuals whose lives have been impacted by sexual abuse to find their voices, offer and receive support, and collectively heal. As the founder of Ray of Hope, a non-profit organization, Zeldy is committed to promoting the well-being of both our present and future Jewish communities. She humbly embraces the advancements and eagerly tackles the challenges associated with overseeing such a vital organization. Witnessing the transformative journey of Ray of Hope members is an immensely fulfilling and rewarding experience for Zeldy, who considers it an absolute privilege to contribute to such a noble cause.