The grant supported the national growth of Partners in Prevention, a Jewish education program using Judaism to teach students how to avoid and prevent addictive and destructive behaviors. The program uses a six-module curriculum that includes workbooks for students, a parents’ journal, and a facilitator’s guide. The program is designed to help students articulate values, identify healthy relationships, and have accountability for their actions, all within a Jewish context. Prevention staff members (including Jewish educators, mental health professionals, and recovering addicts) take students through workbooks and interactive exercises designed to encourage honest discussion about life’s pressures and cultural standards.

Participants:
Students from 6th through 12th grades from day schools and synagogues.

Results/Impact:
The program has now worked with more than 35 organizations in Southern California and around the country. The grant gave the organization credibility and national attention, enabling the expansion of the program to schools and synagogues outside of California. The grant also subsidized travel for Prevention staff to run the program in other communities. The increased visibility of the program raised awareness about the issue of addiction among Jews and brought the issue onto the radar of mainstream Jewish organizations.

Current Status
The program has expanded and evolved. While it has the same goal and same general structure, it has been fine-tuned over time. For example, new exercises have been added and the organization ran facilitator trainings in the form of webinars.