Since the 2000-2001 program year, marking the third year of Avodah’s Service Corps, a meaningful partnership has flourished between Avodah and Sanctuary for Families (SFF) in New York City.
Sanctuary for Families is New York’s foremost service provider and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and related forms of gender violence.
Over the course of this enduring collaboration, Avodah has placed one or two Jewish Service Corps Members annually with SFF, contributing a total of at least 31 dedicated individuals to the organization’s vital work. Many Avodah alumni who serve at SFF grow into leadership roles within the anti-violence field or continue their pursuit of justice in related sectors.
Recently, representatives from Avodah, including colleagues, board members, and supporters, had the opportunity to visit Sanctuary for Families at one of SFF’s confidential office locations, prioritizing the safety of those they serve.
There they met with current corps members Ethan and Emma, as well as Avodah alumna Sophie Chalfin-Jacobs who served at SFF, and was hired at the organization full time following her year of service. The visit commenced with welcoming remarks from SFF’s CEO, Judy Harris Kluger, and Avodah’s CEO, Cheryl Cook who is celebrating 10 years leading the organization.
The significance of the work undertaken by Sanctuary for Families and these dedicated teams cannot be overstated. Judy Harris Kluger underscored the value of the long-standing partnership with Avodah, stating:
“The wonderful thing about the relationship [between Avodah and SFF] is not only that we have these wonderful fellows, but so many have become staff members [after their Avodah year]… They mesh so beautifully with our work. They understand it. They’re strongly supportive of social justice.”
Avodah currently has two placements at SFF: Ethan, a Jewish Service Corps Member serving with the Anti-Trafficking Initiative (ATI), and Emma, placed with the Matrimonial & Economic Justice Project (MAT/EJP). These two teams address distinct yet critical needs within the community, representing a portion of SFF’s comprehensive efforts.
Both current Corps Members described the diverse nature of their daily responsibilities, noting that case management forms a significant part of their work, with each day’s tasks adapting to the immediate needs of their clients.
Ethan, a case manager with SFF’s Anti-Trafficking Initiative, shared insights into his role:
“So much of the work is giving back agency to survivors of human trafficking, labor trafficking and sex trafficking who have had their agency taken away from them in such extreme ways. They have been exploited and lied to, and put in really horrible positions. The role of the case manager is really unique in navigating systems alongside our clients. What I do day to day really changes day to day. It is often texting, calling, or meeting with clients to…organize different meetings for their housing, or something with their children, and their families, and their spouses. Helping them navigate the public benefits sphere of New York City. So much of the work is navigating these extremely frustrating, slow, understaffed, underfunded systems that require a case manager to navigate.
If [English] is not your first language, if you don’t have the time, if you have a child and a job, it takes a lot of patience and work to navigate these systems that are kind of expecting you to just give up and go to bed and just, like, figure it out yourself.
So, yeah, a lot of my work is also being that emotional support and just being another human being navigating as a team alongside them.”
Hearing firsthand accounts from corps members about their intensive client-facing experiences highlights the crucial role Avodah plays in supporting young justice leaders as they embark on challenging yet vital careers. This work contributes significantly to creating a more just world.
Emma’s work, while distinct in its focus, shares similarities in its case management aspects. She provided an overview of her responsibilities:
“I am a project assistant in the legal department with the Matrimonial and Economic Justice Project…The matrimonial side involves divorce, child support, spousal support, orders of protection, and more. And then there are specific sub projects like our Uncontested Divorce Project and the Orthodox Jewish Matrimonial Initiative.
That project is specifically working with the Orthodox Jewish population, most often women whose husbands are refusing to give them a get or a religious divorce. And this is a type of abuse unique to the Orthodox Jewish community. The team provides support in the civil and criminal US System, as well as in Beit Din or the Jewish Religious Court. So lots of layers there.
We also have our Economic Justice Project, which focuses on housing and benefits. Housing involves different types of vouchers and assistance programs like Section 8 or FHEPS, which is Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement. Benefits includes Medicaid or health insurance, as well as cash assistance.
I was drawn to Avodah because of the communal and Jewish aspects. But even more so than that, I saw a profile on a corps member in this very role when I was applying. I knew, like, from the beginning, I would love to be in Avodah, and specifically in this job. So, I’m thrilled to be here this year…To be completely transparent, some of the parts of the job that I didn’t necessarily think would be that exciting for me, have been great.”
Avodah equips its participants with essential skills for direct service roles, fostering their commitment to this demanding work. While the challenges are significant, the rewards are deeply meaningful. Avodah alumni consistently report feeling better prepared for careers in social justice, with an impressive 98.6% remaining engaged in justice-related fields through employment or volunteer work.
Ethan concluded the visit with a powerful reflection:
“Something I’ve seen in my growth as I’ve been a case manager, is that it’s really built my capacity for more action and more persistence and more empathy. And I think watching my clients demand, very stubbornly, a better life and a better world for themselves – it’s really inspiring for us all to do, and to understand the inevitability that a new world will come and is coming. Be brave enough to be a part of it and to show up and to be stubborn in wanting a better life for yourself. This is something I’m really thinking about right now.”
