In the Name of the Father

The Campaign Key Achievements

​

• Government & Policy: Two inter-ministerial committees established under Israel's Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs – one addressing legal/criminal issues (underage marriage, sexual assault), another on prevention and treatment. The Ministry of Interior now flags fraudulent underage marriage registrations.

• Law Enforcement: Formation of a high-level police task force integrating the State Attorney's Office and social services. Senior officers cited the campaign as a "catalyst for action."

• Civil Society Partnerships: Collaboration with Magen, a nonprofit advocating for ultraorthodox sexual abuse survivors, offering therapy, legal aid, and ongoing lobbying at the Knesset and police levels.

• Community Healing: Direct personal assistance to survivors (education, therapy, life skills). Ultraorthodox influencers engaged to amplify messages within their communities.

• Public Impact: Viral exposure via Kan11 broadcast and digital campaigns resulting in millions of impressions.

• International Rollout: Broadcasts across Europe and the UK (BBC, RTS, SVT, FTV, NRK, DR). Partnerships in development in the US to explore related cult activities.

​

​

Full Summary

​

Overview

In the Name of the Father (בשם האב) is a documentary film and 3-part series directed by Bat-dor Ojalvo, edited by Gal Goffer, and produced by Yoav Leshem (Beyond Creative). The series exposes decades of systemic abuse and human rights violations within the Breslov Hasidic community of Yavniel, Israel — including child marriage, sexual assault, incest, and violence.

The film was co-produced by Kan11, BBC, France Télévisions, SVT, RTS, and others, and supported by CoPro Impact Lab, Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, and the New Fund for Cinema and Television (NFCT).

Impact Vision & Objectives

We aimed not just to reveal injustices but to drive sustainable social change — transforming the exposure from the series into real-world policy and community impact.

Core mission: Protect children and survivors of the Yavniel cult, create systemic accountability, and build pathways for recovery, justice, and prevention.

​

Impact Goals 

1. Government: Expose establishment negligence and push legislative & enforcement reform.
    

2. Police: Enforce existing law and pursue perpetrators.
    

3. Nonprofits: Build partnerships to offer immediate help to survivors and prevention programs.
    

4. Personal: Secure therapy, education, and rehabilitation for survivors.
    

5. Influencers: Mobilize ultraorthodox voices to denounce the cult.
    

6. Public: Raise awareness and drive public participation through the film’s broadcast and campaigns.
    

Policy & Government Impact

By mid-2023, the campaign had successfully established cross-ministerial cooperation:

​

• Two Interdisciplinary Committees under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs:
   

  • Legal/Criminal Committee — focusing on child marriages and sexual abuse.
     

  • Prevention & Treatment Committee — establishing new social work programs, allocating budgets and field workers in the northern district and Yavniel itself.
     

• Ministry of Interior began verifying underage marriage registrations and preventing fraudulent applications.
   

• Healthcare and education agencies were integrated into a network identifying abuse and improving local welfare mechanisms.
   

Law Enforcement & Justice

• In April 2023, senior police officers (including heads of youth, family violence, and vulnerable populations divisions) met with the filmmakers.
   

• They launched new investigative collaborations between the police, State Attorney’s Office, and welfare services, sharing data and testimonies gathered through the film’s production.
   

• The police described the filmmakers’ advocacy as a “catalyst for action”, marking the first coordinated law enforcement focus on Yavniel’s abuses.
   

Civil Society Partnerships

• Partnered with Magen, a nonprofit specializing in protecting victims of sexual abuse in ultraorthodox contexts — providing legal, psychological, and social support.
   

• Magen representatives now maintain direct communication with parliament members and senior police, advocating for continued enforcement and survivor support.
   

Public & Media Engagement

• The Kan11 broadcast drew massive public engagement — thousands of supportive comments and offers of assistance.
   

• Viral digital content created with Kan11’s digital team reached millions of impressions, amplifying survivor stories and public awareness.
   

• The campaign organized pre-premiere screenings for ultraorthodox influencers (rabbis, therapists, and lawyers) who later shared the film’s messages with their own communities.
  
   

Cultural & Social Resonance

• Survivors and ex-members contacted the filmmakers after the broadcast, expressing gratitude and sharing new evidence.
   

• Within ultraorthodox networks, episodes were widely circulated despite technological restrictions.
   

• The film has since sparked official attention from Israeli authorities after decades of silence.
   

Summary Insight

The In the Name of the Father Impact Campaign is a model of documentary-driven advocacy, converting storytelling into structural change. Within a year, it:

• Shifted government and police priorities around child abuse in closed religious communities.
   

• Mobilized civil society partnerships to provide on-ground support.
   

• ​​​​​​​​Achieved mass awareness and international recognition, while protecting survivors and reshaping discourse around religious impunity in Israel.​