Speaking Up, Standing Strong, and Filling the Gaps
- Apr 16
- 5 min read
By Malka Shaw, LCSW
Since October 7th, the world has become an increasingly hostile place for Jews. The surge in antisemitism—both blatant and subtle—has not only been felt in public spaces but has deeply infiltrated areas where safety and understanding should be a given: mental health, medicine, and academia. Many Jewish individuals have found themselves isolated, gaslit, and forced to explain their pain in spaces where no such explanations should be necessary. The need for support, education, and advocacy has never been more urgent.
This is why Kesher Shalom Projects was born—to fill the never-meant-to-exist gaps www.keshershalom.com with the support of a fantastic team of therapists, Robyn Shienuik, Jodi Taub, Lisa Mustard, and business coach Julie Riga.
Beyond our work in Jewish cultural competency, we have developed a trauma system specifically designed to address ongoing and active trauma. The GUARD system is built on existing trauma modalities, providing a structured approach to resilience for individuals facing unrelenting stress. Unlike traditional trauma models that focus on post-trauma recovery, GUARD is designed for those still amid crisis, offering tools that help sustain emotional stability and strength while navigating uncertainty. This approach has been essential in supporting the Jewish community, where the trauma is exposed due to the collective intergenerational trauma.
The gaps in mental health care have never been more glaring. The rise in Jewish clients no longer feeling safe with their therapists has increased dramatically. Stories of therapists invalidating Jewish pain, minimizing antisemitism, or even parroting harmful rhetoric have become disturbingly common. Jewish clients are walking into sessions expecting support and instead finding themselves forced into conversations where they must defend their very existence. This has left many without safe spaces to process their grief, fear, and anger.
Kesher Shalom Projects has provided critical training and programming to address this, ensuring that Jewish clients can find therapists who understand their experiences and that professionals across fields can support them. While our work began with mental health professionals, our reach has since expanded. We have trained lawyers, clergy, and educators, ensuring that the people in positions of influence and leadership are prepared to recognize and combat the Jewish community's unique challenges. Additionally, we have facilitated direct community programming, giving Jewish individuals tools to navigate trauma, confront antisemitism, and build resilience in their daily lives.
But mental health is only one piece of the puzzle. One of the most insidious threats we face today is not just hate itself but the indoctrination that fuels it. The resurgence of antisemitism is not random—it is the product of deeply ingrained narratives spread through media, academia, and social spaces, often cloaked in the language of social justice. Recognizing the need to counter these manipulative narratives, we developed the BRIDGE Protocol, a structured approach to understanding and addressing indoctrination. BRIDGE provides a roadmap for engaging with those who have been influenced by propaganda, breaking down the cognitive barriers that keep them locked in harmful ideologies, and guiding them toward critical thinking and reconciliation.
None of this was planned. None of us set out to create movements. But one after another, Jewish women saw the gaping holes in the systems meant to protect us and refused to be silent. They stepped out of their comfort zones, building grassroots initiatives out of necessity. Kesher Shalom Projects, the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA), Gesher Campus Care, and so many others are the result of women who recognized that no one was coming to save us—and so, we built the solutions ourselves.
The American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA) www.theajma.org was created to advocate for Jewish medical professionals facing bias in schools, workplaces, and healthcare institutions. Jewish healthcare professionals and students have reported exclusion, hostility, and concern for patient safety. Founded by Dr Yael Halaas and now directed by CEO Michelle Stravitz, the AJMA addresses these issues by providing mentorship, advocacy, and education to ensure Jewish voices in medicine are heard and protected.
On college campuses, Gesher Campus Care (geshercampuscare.org) is stepping in where universities have failed. With antisemitism surging on campuses, many Jewish students feel abandoned by their schools, left to navigate threats and hostility alone. Gesher provides direct support and mental health resources to ensure students have the tools to face these challenges without sacrificing their identity or well-being.
At Jill Meyer Lawyers www.lawyerscombatingantisemitism.org, legal professionals are combating antisemitism by providing legal support and advocacy for Jewish individuals and organizations facing discrimination, defamation, and threats. Their work ensures that Jewish voices are protected within legal systems, holding institutions accountable for upholding the rights and safety of Jewish communities.
Meanwhile, Laura Kessler and BiPact JTV www.jewishtvchannel.com/TalkingPoint have been at the forefront of fighting back against media bias and misinformation. By highlighting how propaganda fuels antisemitism and distorts public perception, BiPact JTV is equipping Jewish advocates with the tools to challenge false narratives and tell their own stories.
At Kesher Shalom Projects, we partnered with AJMA and Gesher, bringing our expertise in trauma and resilience to their work. We’ve provided mental health training for Jewish doctors and medical professionals through AJMA, helping them navigate bias and stress within their field. With Gesher, we have created programming that equips Jewish students with tools to manage trauma, strengthen resilience, and advocate for themselves in hostile environments.
These partnerships—alongside so many other grassroots efforts—were not created because they were easy or convenient. They were born out of necessity, built by women who refused to accept silence, and strengthened by those who recognized that no one else would fill these gaps for us. The work is exhausting, but it is also inspiring. It is a testament to the power of collective action, the strength that emerges when people refuse to be erased, and the unwavering belief that a different future is possible.
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is what we do despite it. It is the choice to stand up when it would be easier to stay quiet. It is the decision to create change when the world tells you to sit down. Every person who has been a part of this movement—whether by educating, advocating, supporting, or simply refusing to disappear—has shown what true courage looks like.
Now, the question is: How will you be courageous? Will you speak up when it’s uncomfortable? Will you stand by those who are standing up for themselves? Will you challenge misinformation, educate yourself, and refuse to let hate win?
This moment is more significant than any one of us. But if we each take up our piece of the fight and find our way to be courageous, we will ensure that no gap remains unfilled and that no voice goes unheard.
Connect With Malka
Instagram: @malka.shaw.lcsw | @kesher_shalom_projects
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