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Family Shalom Announces Poster Contest Winner
Submitted by Beryl Michaels, Family Shalom committee member
The winner of the Family Shalom Poster Design contest, 2009, Arielle Sherman was graduated from UC Davis this past June with a major in Art History and a minor in Global and International Studies.
Family Shalom, responding to domestic abuse in the Sacramento Region’s Jewish community is a project of National Council of Jewish Women, Sacramento Section. Providing information and referral for people dealing with domestic abuse including intervention, counseling and support, the program collaborates with WEAVE to offer emergency and comprehensive services.
Teen education on healthy relationships is a critical component of the committee’s outreach to the Jewish Community. This is based on statistics showing that 28% of high school students reported some form of violence in a relationship. In addition to specially trained high school juniors and seniors who speak to 6th and 7th graders, speakers also offer healthy relationship training at the high school level through Yachad and college level through Hillel.
Part of this outreach effort is an annual poster contest. Youth from 6th grade through college are invited to compete. The winning poster is currently on display throughout the Sacramento Region Jewish Community at local synagogues and Shalom School. The poster was judged on how well it brings attention to the problem of family abuse in the Jewish community and the Family Shalom response. It had to identify signs of unhealthy vs. healthy relationships and be visually appealing.
Ms. Sherman first learned about the competition from a flyer she saw at the UC Davis Hillel House. She said she was inspired to design this poster because, “I think that Family Shalom sends an important message about abusive relationships within the Jewish community and provides great resources to people who need them. I did not know that a woman is beaten every 15 seconds. I was also surprised to find out that Jewish women tend to stay in abusive relationships longer than non-Jewish women. I think that this fact demonstrates how important Family Shalom is to Jewish women who may not have sought help otherwise.”
Arielle plans to attend graduate school at the University of Oregon for Arts Management after which she hopes to work in a nonprofit arts organization such as a museum, gallery, or a more community-based organization. She said she wants to help bring art to the public and to those who do not currently have access to the arts.
A member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish-interest sorority at UC Davis, she thinks “it is very important for Jewish women to be strong and active members in their communities, and I am dedicated to helping my community in any way I can”
When asked about her ongoing involvement in the Jewish community at graduate school and beyond, she thought she might become active in Hillel or look for other campus based Jewish organizations. She said, looking ahead to her career, “there is always the potential for working in (or even founding) a Jewish nonprofit arts organization. This could involve working with Jewish day schools, for example, and introducing the children to the arts through art projects and field trips to museums.”
Arielle used imagery available on the internet from Marc Chagall’s paintings to create her distinctive winning entry. Additional posters are available from Family Shalom. Simply call the information line at 916-204-8777.
To learn more about Family Shalom, visit their Home Page.
