Hon. Vice-President - Elaine Grazin

Elaine Grazin was one of the founder members of Jewish Women’s Aid in Leeds in the 1980s, and has been a volunteer since then, supporting the Helpline, as well as raising awareness.  She has spoken about JWA at communal events including Limmud, at synagogues, IDEVAW panels and at Women’s Aid national conference. Elaine served as a JWA Trustee for a number of years. In her professional career, Elaine was Public Relations Manager for public sector and charitable organisations, and was a domestic violence trainer for West Yorkshire Probation Service. While living in Leeds, Elaine was a Trustee of the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board, appointed Honorary Vice President in 2004, and served on the Board of Management of Leeds Jewish Housing Association.  Here she first became aware of the need for a specialist organisation to help women in the Jewish community experiencing domestic violence, and worked with the inspired Welfare Board and Housing Association CEO Sheila Saunders z”l to set up JWA. Elaine has been a Trustee of the Together Women charity working with women offenders, and was a member of the Leeds task group for Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ 1990s Review of Women in the Community.