I am writing to tell you how much your program has helped me and especially my children. I am a father of 5 children from ages 5-17. My wife suffers from mental health problems and was unable to properly care for my children. Your staff not only helped us mediate our divorce so that we could finish things quickly and treat each other with as much menschlichkeis as possible, but they helped us remember that as much as we are overwhelmed, our children are even more overwhelmed. The mediation saved us money that would have gone to lawyers and would have threatened our ability to put a roof over our children's heads and to give them proper food. But their help seemed to have no limits. Sarah & Yona were available whenever we needed them and for anything we needed. They worked with us on how to discuss our divorce with our children and helped us connect with the children's schools and rabbeim to make sure they were being tended to. They also connected us with other Jewish organizations to help us find bunkbeds, desks and school supplies among other things for our children so that when they have to move between houses, they have something to be excited about. 

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Dovid

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I have been working with JDAC for over a year now and wanted to express my profound gratitude. I have three beautiful children, KH. Sadly, my middle son is autistic and my youngest daughter is on the spectrum. Dealing with my divorce has been so traumatic on its own, but struggling with the health and well-being of my children through all of it leaves me feeling terrified on a daily basis. JDAC has been there for me, my ex-husband and my children from our very first meeting. Completing the civil divorce process and the Jewish get process has been harrowing. But Ms. Nissel and Ms. Elishis made sure we never felt alone. What is most incredible is that they were always able to switch hats between helping us focus on being practical in order to move the divorce mediation forward and at other times, being a shoulder for me to cry on as a mother seeking guidance to help her children and a frum woman wrapping her head around a new identity. 

 

When I think about the ways they helped us to help our children, tears come to my eyes. They found us tutors from within the community to help my youngest daughter with her studies and her focus. They also found frum teenage volunteers to come watch and play with our son. And the list goes on. We never felt alone for one minute. 

 

I truly believe that were it not for the amicable mediation process JDAC took us through, my ex-husband and I would not be able to co-parent effectively. Thank you for supporting this organization. My family would have been lost without it. I am so grateful to the Jewish Divorce Assistance Center and I know my children are too.

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Rachel