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The Gefen Program for the Haredi Community
The Gefen Project for the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community is run in cooperation with The Torat Hamishpacha Center. It was created to help fertility challenged men and women in this community. The program for the Haredi population has been adapted to be sensitive their needs. All programs are coordinated and under the Hashgacha (supervision) of Toras Hamishpacha.
The program consists of separate groups for women and for men, separate Mind/Body workshops, as well as Restorative Fertility Yoga for Haredi women. Mind/Body workshops are led or accompanied by an Orthodox (Shomer Torah uMitzvoth) staff member. The men's workshop is supervised and accompanied by Toras Hamishpacha advisor Rabbi Abraham Silberberg. The women's group is supervised by Toras Hamishpacha consultant, Sara Sweibel.
Not having children for someone who is Haredi is highly stigmatized and painful. Infertility is not a topic discussed publicly, thus many women have no one to talk to. There is no other place for Haredi men to speak to other men from their own community encountering similar difficulties. The Mind/Body groups not only offers tools to deal with this challenging time, but also offers a network of support to connect to after the groups have concluded.
Participants Come from all Over
Participants come from diverse locations and sub-communities including Jerusalem, Beitar Ilit, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Ashdod, Modi'in Illit, Petah Tikva and Kiryat Gat.
Among the participants: Hasidic communities of Karlin, Gur, Biala, Boyan, Belz and the Lithuanian community.
Mind/Body Workshop for the Haredi Community
- Workshop Objectives Include:
- Decreasing symptoms of stress
- Employing multiple relaxation and stress reduction strategies
- Implementing coping strategies for better quality of life
- Changing lifestyle habits which can have a negative impact on fertility
Fertility Yoga for Haredi Women
The Fertility Yoga Program for Haredi Women is tailored to meet the unique religious and cultural requirements of Haredi women, including dress code. Haredi women feel more comfortable exploring Yoga and bonding among their own community. In the classes the women learn postures and breathwork to help them relax as well as to help support healthy reproductive organs.
Training Haredi Therapists
Gefen staff has begun mentoring and supervising professional therapists within the Haredi community, in order to support them in becoming fertility therapists in the Gefen organization.