Press Releases

An all star team including:

Jack Canfield, Tom Cruise, Harry Reid, John Gray, Goldie Hawn, Florence Henderson, Quincy Jones, Bette Midler, Rene Russo, Jerry Stiller, Sam Brownback

For more information call:

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi at 703-276-1604
or check www.WordsCanHeal.org

Washington, DC. This week a new non-profit, WordsCanHeal.org, will launch a new national effort to reduce verbal violence and gossip. The goal of the campaign is to promote the value and practice of ethical speech in order to improve our democracy, build mutual respect, honor and dignity in our country. The campaign will include posters, print and television.

The campaign is designed to coincide with the return of Congress to Washington after the summer recess and the start of the school year. According to the National Education Association, 160,000 children skip school each day because of intimidation by their peers. The U.S. Department of Education reports that 77 percent of middle and high school students in small Midwestern towns have been bullied. A National Institute of Health study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that almost a third of 6th to 10th graders -5.7 million children nationwide- have experienced some kind of bullying.

According to Irwin Katsof, Co-Executive Director for WordsCanHeal.org, "In the post-Columbine era we need to reduce gossip and verbal abuse that is behind so much pain in our society. This campaign offers free educational tools for schools, children, families and businesses in order to help heal our country."

Says Katsof, "the first step is for people to acknowledge that gossip and verbal abuse has real consequences. Words can cause real pain. Once people admit that they have a problem with gossip, they can take steps to improve their lives and the lives of the people they love around them."

The campaign will begin airing TV spots on ABC, NBC, FOX, CNN and other stations this week. The first TV commercial use a series of images to promote a new WordsCanHeal pledge, which states, "I pledge to think more about the words I use. I will try to replace words that hurt with words that encourage, engage and enrich. I will try to see how gossip hurts people, including myself, and work to eliminate it from my life. I will not become discouraged when I am unable to choose words perfectly because making the world a better place is hard work. And I am helping to do that, one word at a time."

The Washington campaign coincides with the proposal of a "WordsCanHeal Day," an effort led by Senators Harry Reid, Sam Brownback, Tom Daschle and John McCain.

Print ads aimed at bringing a new tone to American politics will begin this week in National Journal, Congressional Quarterly, Roll Call, and The Hill. Posters will appear in Washington metro stations and on buses. The print ads in the campaign include 1. A poster of two young girls looking like they are gossiping, but one girl is saying to the other "The new girl is nice. Pass it on." The tag line says "See, it's already working." At the bottom is the web address, WordsCanHeal.org. 2. Two women in the workplace looking like they are gossiping, but one says to the other "I hear she got that promotion through hard work" with a tag line of "See, it's already working" 3. Two male baseball players look like they are shouting at one another, but one is saying "I disagree totally but I can still see your point of view" with the tag line "See, it's already working" 4. A couple driving are lost in the desert, looking at a map where one says to the other " Who knew the desert was so beautiful at this time of year" with the tag line "See, it's already working."

The ads were done as a pro-bono contribution by the leading LA ad firm Suissa Miller. Advertising time is being paid for through donations to the campaign. The central focus of the advertising campaign is to encourage people to sign the WordsCanHeal pledge and to log on to www.wordscanheal.org where they will find free educational tips for children, families and businesses that are interested in reducing gossip and verbal abuse.

In conjunction with the campaign launch, The Words Can Heal Handbook: How Changing Your Words Can Transform Your Life and the Lives of Others will be released in Washington by co-authors Chaim Feld, Irwin Katsof and Hilary Rich.

The book has already gotten a strong response from Hollywood to America's business and spiritual leaders. Actress Rene Russo says "Thank you for reminding me of the power of the spoken word -- with the Devil here on my shoulder, I need all the help I can get!" Legal expert and best selling author, Alan M. Dershowitz, says about the book and the campaign "We may have the right to gossip under the First Amendment, but this effort shows us that exercising this right is wrong." According to actress Florence Henderson, "Gossip -- we've all done it! Read this book and find out why it's so important not to. It will help you in all your relationships." Dr. Robert H. Schuller, host Hour of Power says "I am convinced that words have enormous power. They are either bombs or balms. They level us or they can lift us. They carry with them power to connect with the memory system that can release healing powers or destructive powers."

WordsCanHeal.org started as an idea of Aish HaTorah but become a new, independent non-profit organization.

Says Rene Russo, "I'm thrilled to be a part of this incredible Words Can Heal national campaign. As an actress, I get to try on words written by others and explore their consequences with other actors. Real life and real words, however, have real consequences. Take advantage of these excellent tools to learn and internalize valuable lessons and tips."