Purim is one of our most joyous holidays — from the mitzvah to celebrate and share food with our neighbors to dressing in costume, laughing, and caring for the needy, Purim offers connection and joy. The large gatherings, often in home settings, and presence of alcohol characteristic of this holiday also introduce unique safety risks. This session will cover some basics of safeguarding so you can make Purim fun AND safe for your community. Join us for 60 minutes to learn tips from Dr. Shira Berkovits, discuss their benefits and challenges, ask questions, and strategize about how you’ll implement them in your unique setting.

Speaker Bio:

Shira Berkovits (she/her) is President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. A behavioral psychologist with a research background in creating large-scale organizational change, and a background in criminal law, Shira has spent years studying the intersection of psychology and law as related to sexual offending in faith communities. Bringing a uniquely Jewish lens, Shira partners with Jewish leaders to build healthy and accountable institutions, whose culture and daily operations foster sacredness and reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and other forms of interpersonal harm. In her role as CEO of Sacred Spaces, she has worked with Jewish communities across five continents to prevent, handle, and heal from institutional abuse. Named to The Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36 for her pioneering work on abuse prevention, and awarded the JPro 2022 Young Professionals Award, Shira sits on the board of the Academy on Violence and Abuse and is a member of the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.