On Monday, December 4, Ma’ayanot juniors and seniors participated in a program called “Flowers Aren’t Enough,” a monologue presented by actress Naomi Ackerman that addresses the difficult issue of domestic violence. The monologue presents the story of a young woman in an abusive marriage. In her dramatic performance, Ackerman says, “When someone hits you, you know where the pain is. Black and blue marks fade and disappear and you can pretend they weren’t there. But words go deep into the soul, where you can’t see. They fill you up with more and more pain until you are burning inside. Words can kill.”

Later in her performance, Ackerman says, “If you have a problem and choose to ignore it, it will not go away. It will get bigger and bigger.” She quotes an emergency room social worker who says, “This is not your fault. You do not need to be alone.”

Following Ackerman’s powerful presentation, students joined small group discussions with their guidance counselors to discuss this important topic. “It was really eye-opening and dramatic,” said senior Miri Cohen. “It instilled in me an awareness about future relationships.”

“I had chills the entire time,” added senior Rafi Kapitanker. “It’s great that the school brought in this program because it’s important for us to know about these issues.”

“Our goal is for students to be aware and empowered to stand up for themselves and those around them,” said Ora Schrier, director of religious programming. “We want them to know about community resources and the importance of open communication and self-awareness in all relationships.”

Ma’ayanot’s Principal Rivka Kahan, added, “Our hope is that this program will help our students develop the awareness and skills to build healthy, positive relationships throughout their lives, b’ezrat Hashem.”