History of Safety Kid

In 2006, a series of child abuse incidents shocked the Jewish Orthodox community of Los Angeles within the short time span of six months. As a response, the Los Angeles Halachic Advisory Board (HAB), a group of community-representing Rabbis founded by Debbie Fox, made an active decision to take a stand and focus on prevention of inappropriate relationships and interactions in the LA community.

When further allegations of misconduct towards children surfaced, the Halachic Advisory Board commissioned Debbie Fox and a team of experts to research child abuse prevention programs and develop a culturally-sensitive program to empower communities and their children to prevent abuse.

Guided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the HAB, and Mothers Advocating Prevention (MAP), Debbie’s team developed the Safety Kid Child Abuse Prevention Program Series.

“Thank you for the professional and comprehensive training and demonstration of the Kid Safety Presentation. The Rebbeim were impressed with the content and how well it was given over. It was all very down to earth and kid-friendly. Everyone felt that it was very worthwhile.

Wishing you continued hatzlacha.”

— Rabbi M.M. Grunfeld, Yeshiva Yesodei HaTorah, Toronto, Canada

A crucial facet of this program was that Mrs. Fox and her team did a masterful job of clarifying the mystifying aspect of these sensitive topics in a tactful but unambiguous manner. The beauty of the Safety Kids Program was that important concepts, that have unfortunately become well known, were systematically organized and presented in a clear manner to enable educators and parents to know what to be aware of.”

— Rabbi Yisroel Sonnenschein
First Grade Rebbe, Yeshiva K’tana
Waterbury, CT

“The program was wonderful last week, and it was amazing to hear my kids at home singing and talking about the ABCs of safety. It even led to [my child] sharing that a neighbor made him feel uncomfortable and he was able to say specifically how! Well done.”

— Parent, Phoenix Hebrew Academy

“After attending the Safety Kid teacher training seminar I feel more empowered with knowledge, having learnt the proper responses to a situation and most importantly to look beyond the child that is sitting in front of me.”

— Mrs. Tzeenie Freedman
Second Grade Morah, Yeshiva K’tana
Waterbury, CT

“Our community’s experience with Magen Yeladim International’s Safety Kid program was remarkable in every way. While the need for a national preventative safety program is an unfortunate sign of the times, nevertheless, it is gratifying that a fabulous program, endorsed by leading Rabbonim and led by nationally acclaimed Mrs. Debbie Fox, has emerged and has already benefitted and impacted some 28,000 children across the globe. The program was presented to our parents, faculty, and students in a dignified, professional, appropriate and culturally sensitive manner and was truly well accepted by one and all.”

— Rabbi Simcha Dessler Menahel,
Educational Director,
Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

“The Safety Kid Program is an imperative that a group of generous and dedicated individuals gifted to the entire Waterbury Community and through these efforts we daven that we will b’ezras Hashem merit a truly safe environment in which our children can thrive.”

— Penina Noy
Principal, Girls’ Division
Yeshiva K’tana, Waterbury, CT

“When my 6-year old came home from school today, she sat down my 3-year old and taught her the ABC’s of safety with the help of her beautiful safety certificate. I am so impressed that she not only knew the ABC’s of safety but that she was so enthusiastic to teach it to her sister.”

Parent/Teacher, Far Rockaway, New York

“Just a brief note of thanks for a wonderful program—it was very well received, and the students are so excited. On a personal note, my own children came home and knew EVERYTHING (my wife tested them!). It made a deep impact, and I am very grateful.”

— Rabbi Isaac Entin
Principal, Phoenix Hebrew Academy
Phoenix, AZ

“Educating students how to stay safe, providing them the power to stay safe, in a sensitive and nonthreatening manner had evaded [Jewish Communities].

Magen Yeladim International has not only solved this riddle, they have created a viable program that has empowered our community to continue to educate our parents and youth long after they leave. The Safety Kid curriculum is bright, friendly and culturally appropriate.

As a host-school administrator and observer in the classrooms, I was impressed with every aspect of the training process and though we have quite an assertive student and parent body, I have only heard positive reports from them as well.”

— Rabbi Ilan Heifetz,M.Ed,, Director of General Studies
Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School, Skokie, IL

“Hi guys, I wanted to let you know that my 7 year old son got separated from us at Disneyland yesterday. We found him a few minutes later talking to a safety officer. He had remembered the song on the CD that told him to find someone he could trust and he went over to a woman with a Disneyland ID tag and told her he was lost. She took him to a safety officer. We asked him if he was really scared and he said he was at first but then he remembered that he knew exactly what to do and he just went and did it. Just wanted to give you guys some nachas!”

— Parent, Torath Emet
Los Angeles, CA

History of Safety Kid

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History of Safety Kid

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