REUT: The Center for Modern Jewish Marriage

Reut filled a real need for us. We especially liked the way it brought us together with other couples from across the religious spectrum. It helped bring pluralistic Jewish meaning to the single most critical decision of our lives.

- Shmuel and Rebecca

Reut session facilitators are hand-picked for their high level of professional experience, as well as their commitment to Reut’s mission. Each Reut staff member is an expert in his or her field, whether it is Israeli marriage and divorce law, the laws of nidah, financial consulting, sexuality, family planning, the Jewish wedding ceremony, or couple counseling. Just as important, they are all open-minded, modern individuals well-grounded in traditional Jewish text and at the same time fully aware of the rich variety of Jewish Israeli life. This unique combination allows them to facilitate sessions in a pluralistic, safe, and accepting atmosphere without sacrificing professionalism and seriousness. In addition, their ability to work together as a group and learn from one another enhances each session and the seminar as a whole.

Haviva Ner-David, Director

Haviva Ner-David is a teacher, writer, and activist. The founding director of Reut: The Center for Modern Jewish Marriage. She has a doctorate from Bar Ilan University in the Philosophy of Halakhah, and private smikhah from Rabbi Aryeh Strikovsky, an Orthodox rabbi in Jerusalem. Rabbi Dr. Ner-David, who considers herself a post-denominational rabbi, worked for many years in pre-marriage religious counseling, especially in the area of the laws of nidah—the topic of her doctoral dissertation. A writer of many articles and essays, she is the author of the book Life on the Fringes: A Feminist Journey Towards Traditional Rabbinic Ordination (2000 JFL Books) and is currently completing a second memoir also dealing with feminism and Judaism. Rabbi Dr. Ner-David is on the board of Women of the Wall and Rabbis for Human Rights.

Hilorie Baer, M.S.W. has been a practicing clinical psychotherapist in Jerusalem for the past fifteen years, working with individuals and couples. She has recently begun studying the Gottman Method of Couple Therapy out of the Gottman Institute in Seattle, Washington, and she is expanding her work to include psycho-educational work and therapeutic interventions focusing on couples.

Jody Blum, M.S.W. is a Jerusalem-based Financial Coach. She started her company minusPLUS (www.minusPLUS.org) to empower people to take control of their personal finances. Her comprehensive approach to saving money, living within one's means, and achieving personal financial goals has helped hundreds of satisfied individuals and couples.

Jessica Bonn is a clinical social worker in private practice (English/Hebrew). In addition to working with individuals and couples using an eclectic approach with strong roots in psychodynamics, she is also trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy. She lives with her family in Jerusalem, her home for the past twenty years.

Gittit Nachliel, Attorney-at-Law and Rabbinic Advocate, holds a B.A. in Talmud and Jewish Thought from Hebrew University.

After completing her studies at Hebrew University she was ordained as a Rabbinic Advocate in the first graduating class of female Rabbinic Advocates. A short time afterwards she completed her law degree at Bar Ilan University while already working as a Rabbinic Advocate in the Rabbinic Courts. Today she works as both a lawyer and Rabbinic Advocate in the Rabbinic court system and the civil court system.

Gittit is deeply involved in the struggle to liberate mesuravot get and agunot. Among other activities she worked as the coordinator for ICAR – The International Coalition for Agunah Rights. Today she is acting attorney at Mavoi Satum, an organization providing legal support for mesuravot get and agunot. In addition, Gittit maintains a private practice representing men and women in both family law and in other fields.

Nomi Raz, a Jerusalem psychotherapist, facilitates the workshop on sexuality. Nomi has a private practice in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv and specializes in individual, couple, and sex therapy.

Joanne Zack-Pakes, M.S.W., served for 15 years as Executive Director of SHILO, a family planning counseling and educational center in Jerusalem. Today, she continues to train and lead workshops for parents and social service and medical professionals in the field of adolescent sexuality and family planning. In addition, she works as a social worker at Mavoi Satum, the non profit organization that helps Agunot and supervises social work students at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Nachshon David Carmi counsels and coaches couples and singles. He holds a B.Sc. in Medicine and an M.Ed. in Human Sexuality Education. He combines these degrees with his life experience to assist people in the areas of relationship and sexual skills, communication and conflict resolution, health and body image.
He works in Hebrew and English with people of diverse backgrounds, life styles and sexual orientations.
He is a member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists and an Associate member of Itam-The Israeli Association of Sex Therapy.
His website is www.ishut.co.il