Erica discusses In Shifra’s Arms long-term goals. “I would love the Jewish community as a whole to be sensitized to the needs of women in these situations and to reach out to them. They are part of our community and need to be cared for.” This is already being done in Erica’s town of Silver Spring, Maryland where ISA facilitates the transmission from those who can give to those in need.
One service ISA does not provide, Erica says, is rabbinic counseling. “Our aim is to be of service to everybody. It is a non-directive approach. If a woman requests religious counseling, we will help her find a rabbi she is comfortable with, but my rabbi advised us not to personally give rabbinic guidance.”
In fact, the board of ISA runs the gamut from secular and politically-liberal women to Orthodox and politically-conservative, pro-choice and not. “In that respect the organization is totally unique,” Erica claims. “We’re simply available to help pregnant or postpartum women in need by offering them options.” The women who call either know they want to keep the pregnancy but are experiencing challenges or feel conflicted. Many are under pressure from others in their lives to abort. If they’ve already decided to abort, they won’t contact us. For conflicted women, counselors help them explore all their feelings, including the part that wants to have the baby and reviews what they might need to make that happen. “We help them come up with their answers and we respect people no matter what they decide to do.”
Another goal of the organization, Erica shares, is to network and be a resource for Jewish social service organizations, domestic abuse groups and rabbis. “We work on connecting the women to their local community or we will work together with the rabbi or Jewish social service to fill each woman’s particular needs.”
An additional service Erica would like to be able to provide in the future is aiding those who wish to place their baby for adoption. Thus far, none of the women she’s dealt with has chosen that route but she’s ready to assist if one does. “You need a lot of support for that,” Erica contends. “We would not be replacing an adoption agency’s role, but rather providing the mother with support beyond what an agency can do.” Some women don’t opt for adoption because their family is not willing to offer the resources needed. The focus is different than for a woman who is planning on raising her child. Housing is usually a significant issue as the woman planning adoption will often need a place to live until she gives birth and that can get costly.
“In the end,” Erica confides, “In Shifra’s Arms is about embracing each woman with love and tenderness. How we serve these women in their moment of crisis is pivotal – it will reverberate for years. Recently one of our ‘clients’ celebrated her daughter’s 4th birthday. She sent us the birthday wish she inscribed to her daughter. It was so infused with love. There is nothing more satisfying to me than to give these women the opportunity to be mothers to their children – except being a mother to mine.”
Identifying names and details of clients of ISA have been changed to protect privacy.
For more information about In Shifra’s Arms, visit www.jewishpregnancyhelp.org. To contact a counselor, call 888-360-5872. For more information regarding a support group for single moms beyond the child’s first year, please contact [email protected].