Case Studies
Case Studies
Who Does Kav L’Noar Serve?
A Few Case Histories
A mother of 10 children in a charedi
family came to KLN concerned about her 16 year old daughter who was staying out
late at night, smoking, drinking and having no girl friends. While the daughter
refused to come to KLN’s office, she was willing to speak with the staff member
who had met with her mother. Over the phone, she expressed interest in attending
a religious dormitory school for girls in high-risk situations. Our staff member
arranged a meeting for the mother and the mother of another girl who attends the
school. After the two mothers connected, she felt empowered to take her daughter
to see the school. The daughter began the new school this year and KLN will be
following her progress. The mother is very grateful and states that without the
encouragement and support of KLN, her daughter would have never attended another
school. (The new school allows girls to stay on until age 20, providing a safe
place for the next four years.)
G. came to KLN at age 15 appearing
depressed and anorexic. Her parents described her as impossible to deal with. In
working with one of our mentors as well as separate therapists for G. and for
her parents, we learned that the home was quite abusive to the children. Both G.
and her siblings were being hit daily and sometimes going to bed hungry. Our
mentor has been a ray of sunshine for G. and her therapist has given her hope
for the future. Our staff has worked with the parents on stopping the hitting
while their therapist has been focusing on the food issues. G. is also working
with her therapist on a pamphlet to help kids cope with difficult family
situations. G. continues to meet twice weekly with her
mentor.
P. got married this year. When she first
came to KLN one and a half years ago, she was 18, living at home and depressed.
She was doing nothing other than focusing on the tragedies she had endured in
her lifetime. As a young girl, P. had been in a terror attack in which she lost
both her father and sister. She, her mother and siblings spent years recovering
from physical and emotional scars. When we assigned a mentor to her, they
clicked almost immediately. They met twice weekly and spoke nightly on the
phone. During the following months, her depression lifted and her mentor was
able to help her find a seminary. It was there that she found a rebbetzin and
support network of friends that changed her life. Today she is a young married
woman making her home in Jerusalem.
J. came to KLN at age 16. She had lost
her mother five years earlier and had taken on the role of substitute mother for
her four younger siblings. She was in constant conflict with her father as well
as with her schoolteachers. KLN assigned J a mentor, who met with her twice
weekly and maintained nightly telephone contact. J’s life began to change.
Over the past year, she has become more successful in school. While things are
still stressful at home, she and her father have developed a better working
relationship. Through KLN’s contacts in the community, several families
have reached out to J’s family and provide different kinds of support so that J.
no longer needs to assume the role of ‘substitute Mom.’