30,000 Religious Families in Israel to Learn Sex Abuse Prevention Skills

Nearly 30,000 religious families in Israel will have child safety education as a topic around their Sabbath tables this week thanks to a game-changing abuse prevention initiative of Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, one of the most outspoken child safety advocates in the Orthodox Jewish world.

Rabbi Horowitz arrived in Israel this week to oversee the distribution of nearly 30,000 copies of “L’Vetach!” (For Safety!) the Hebrew version of his organization’s best-selling child safety book this weekend by the popular Makor Rishon newspaper, which will be including them as a free supplement to their weekly edition.

Originally published as Let’s Stay Safe! in English by Rabbi Horowitz of Monsey, New York in conjunction with Mesorah Publications, the book can be found in close to 100,000 homes worldwide. The illustrated book has been meticulously adapted for Israeli children and is published in Hebrew. On November 29th, the popular Makor Rishon newspaper will include free copies of “L’Vetach!” the Religious Zionist version of the Hebrew book as a free supplement in the weekly edition and delivered to their nearly 30,000 subscribers. There is also a “Haredi” version for the Haredi Orthodox community.

Rabbi Horowitz, Founding Dean of a Monsey, NY Yeshiva and Director of The Center for Jewish Family Life/Project YES, extended the reach of The Karasick Child Safety Initiative of the organization to Israel several years ago. He travels to Israel to promote child safety education as well as to raise awareness of the need to enact a sex offender registry in Israel and to close the loopholes that allow sex offenders from around the world to find safe haven in Israel.

Rabbi Horowitz has been forthright in his defense of abuse survivors around the world. He currently is also involved in fighting a 5-year legal battle in Israel against a convicted American sex offender who charged him with libel for warning Israeli parents of his presence in this country.

“American donors are graciously providing the book to thousands of Israeli families. This is part of an effort to encourage families to discuss the prevention of abuse in ways that are culturally appropriate for them,” explains Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, “Children who have been made aware of steps they can take to avoid abuse and who have an open dialogue with their parents are much less likely to experience abuse.”

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Contact

Stuart Schnee
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(973) 796-2753