Congregation Sha'are Shalom   Gates of Peace

Purple Shabbat for Domestic Violence Awareness

Saturday, October 29

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). JCADA created Purple Shabbat as an opportunity to raise awareness about intimate partner violence, to let folks know that JCADA is here to help, and that our synagogues and Jewish communities are safe spaces.

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Congregation Sha'are Shalom welcomes Debra Gilmore, JD, MPA, PMP, the CEO of Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter (LAWS), to join us Shabbat morning to speak with us.

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Ms. Gilmore brings more than 30 years’ experience in child and family welfare – ranging from youth residential counselor and volunteer women’s shelter case manager to nonprofit and governmental executive leadership.

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Ms. Gilmore, a licensed attorney and certified project management professional, is nationally recognized as an expert in the field of child and family welfare. Her career service encompassed solution-building for a wide range of issues that impact children and families, including domestic and intimate partner violence, poverty, neglect, and substance dependency. For example, she co-developed Family Asset Builder—a trauma-informed intervention for working with families who frequently encounter the child welfare system.

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Ms. Gilmore is a past recipient of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Excellence Award. She has also published significant works, including co-authoring the second edition of Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence.

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Please click here to view Ms. Gilmore's remarks.