Dear Friends,

As Israel takes steps to slowly pull back the restrictions of the latest nationwide shutdown, nonprofits throughout the country, including MARVA, have had to face many difficulties.

In a survey published earlier this year, it was revealed that over 85% of Israeli nonprofits have reported that their work has been negatively impacted by COVID-19, with 38% of smaller nonprofits reported to have already closed their doors.

MARVA is extremely grateful to all of its supporters who have made it possible for us to continue our vital work during this especially challenging time. I am particularly pleased to announce that we will be opening a program hub in northern Israel, in the city of Safed, as of early 2021, thanks to a generous donor directed to us by the Good People Fund, an amazing organization which we profile in this newsletter. This hub, which will be staffed by a part-time attorney, will have the enormous challenge of starting to address the needs of a large, under-served population in the northern periphery. We expect this initiative to be a first step in expanding MARVA’s services to multiple sites in the north as well as in the southern periphery, once funding is raised to do so.

This development could not have come at a better time. I imagine that, like us in Israel, you feel the effects of COVID-19 in every aspect of your personal and professional lives. With a majority of the population confined to their homes, the steep rise in unemployment, as well as the educational system that is largely closed down, the effects the pandemic has had on mental health around the world are deeply distressing. 

Domestic Abuse During COVID-19

In Israel, a huge spike in domestic violence has been seen since the start of the pandemic, with the number of reported cases tripling just during this past lockdown, along with an increase in cases of elder abuse. In this blog post published in the Psychiatric Times, one can see a particularly stark correlation between the pandemic and an increase in ageism and threats to the safety of the elderly in our communities. A recent case shared in the New York Times highlighted the wrenching dilemmas of parents of adult children with mental health challenges that go untreated - and the impact of their abusive behavior on their aging parents. Here in Israel, MARVA is at the forefront of efforts to directly address family crises by employing the law and social welfare frameworks to protect the parents while facilitating therapeutic aid for the abuser/s.

MARVA is fighting daily to protect the rights and safety of vulnerable Israelis, as individual distress and family crises are amplified further by the pandemic. Too often, we encounter cases like that of Avraham, an older man suffering from Alzheimer’s who wanders the streets, endangering himself and others, because he does not understand the need to social distance and wear a mask. And there are numerous cases such as that of Rivka, who cannot leave her home because of the pandemic and is confined to her apartment with her abusive son. In complex cases such as these, MARVA provides expert counsel and legal aid through multi-disciplinary committees at more than 40 municipalities across Israel, working closely with social workers, doctors, and other professionals to extend compassionate assistance and effective legal aid. In addition, MARVA provides individual legal aid for the elderly and their families, and offers training and legal consults for professionals.

With your support, the MARVA team will continue to work tirelessly to make sure people like Avraham and Rivka receive the compassionate care and attention they deserve.

Thank you,

Mickey Schindler, Esq., PhD (Law), BSW
Director