As part of its commitment to addressing violence against women and girls in the Jewish community, JWI is convening "When Push Comes to Shove, It's No longer Love: A Jewish Perspective on Gender, Power and Relationships," a weekend retreat for students and young professionals ages 18 and over. The retreat will convene March 18-20, 2005, immediately before JWI's Second International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community, which is scheduled March 20-23, 2005 in Washington, DC.

The retreat will gather approximately 150 young Jewish activists to learn, share and explore how Jewish values help shape ideas about healthy and unhealthy relationships. In turn, these young leaders will return to their communities equipped with the knowledge and resources to implement healthy relationship awareness campaigns on their campuses or in their workplaces. After the retreat, participants will get continued support from both JWI and their peers via a virtual network.

At the retreat, leading experts will discuss interpersonal relationships, intimate violence and dating abuse. Together, the group will explore the significant role Jewish concepts and values play in the messages young people receive about relationships and dating.

The retreat is designed to create a collaborative environment that will inspire discussion around these sensitive and often suppressed issues, thus energizing participants to become advocates for JWI’s mission--breaking the cycle of violence against women and children--in their schools, synagogues, workplaces and communities.

For more information about registration and sponsorship opportunities, contact Rachel Keller at rkeller@jwi.org, call 1.800.343.2823 or visit www.jwi.org.