I want to thank [Rabbi] Bruce [Elder] for inviting me to give a personal reflection tonight.  I say this for two reasons. The first is that it is colleagues like Bruce and congregational leadership like that of Hakafa that reminds me the ways in which our communities can be places of meaningful reflection and constructive learning.  That when there is something brewing in the world around us, we can come together- on the most solemn of evenings in our calendar- and sift through the complicated nature of our thoughts and emotions.  The second reason I opened with this thank you is to frame my words.  As a rabbi, I do not like to deliver sermons or teach Torah about issues of injustice or challenges without having some sort of positive response. A way to climb out of the difficult space we may be in and on which I may be shining a light. And, of course, there is no way to separate out my “rabbi self” and my “real person self”- rabbis are people, too, y’know.  But these words of reflection come from a more personal place. I hope they add to a larger conversation and offer insight in some way. And yet, I am not yet in a place of resolution or prescription for moving forward. I am reflecting, sifting, thinking, weighing.

For those of you who may not know, I work in politics for a living.  I work in the world of advocacy and campaigns and fundraising. So, in many ways, I have been sitting deep in the thick of this election cycle.  And, yet, in other ways, I have kept it at a distance. The presidential race, in particular, has me keeping quiet and disengaging in a way that is quite unusual for me.  And, because I am lucky, possessing much privilege, I can do this. I shut my screen, turn the radio down, stop looking at Facebook.

Professionally, I have been deeply aware of the hateful and even dangerous language used about various groups of people over the past year and a half. But on a personal level, I have stopped paying real attention.  I am really ashamed of this. But that does not make it any less true.  And, like most people, it took something outrageous to get me speaking. It took a blatant display of misogyny by someone who could, in just a matter of months, be sitting in the most important office in our country.

I will not recount the specifics of what has brought me to this point because I refuse to give any more air-time to the “story.” And, to be honest, I care very little about or for any one individual who speaks this way about women. What I do care about is that I have come to be living in a world where this type of speech has somehow become – if not acceptable- then accepted.

This moment is different than the moments that have come before.  Such misogyny has not always been seen as “something that happens” or something we should just resign ourselves to or try to ignore. In the past, I don’t think a sizeable part of the American population would have been willing to simply look the other way. I cannot think of a time in my life- at least not in the past 25 years- where women or their bodies could be spoken about in the national public square with such disdain and degradation and not be condemned by everyone.

I do not want to speak about political party or leanings.  Yes, what I’m saying is political. But its not partisan. It’s not even liberal or conservative or moderate or independent. What I am talking about is a level of basic respect- acknowledgement that no matter what, when I am talking about or with another person, I at least understand them to be a person- possessing a body, a mind and a spirit. I am talking about our daughters, our mothers, our sisters, our friends, our partners. Frankly, I’m talking about me.

The question that plays over and over in my mind lately is – “how did we get here?” How did we come to a moment in which societal norms and understandings seem to be- in some significant ways-in stark contrast to what they have been previously.  And I don’t know exactly. I’m sure I could explore people’s fears, anxieties and uncertainty about the world and their own lives. I could start connecting the dots and put together a narrative that would make some rational sense. But, honestly, I don’t care to. I’m not interested in making sense of what seems to be a frightening reality- that denigrating women- our bodies and our agency- is no longer taboo. It happens. Its just “locker room banter.”

Instead, I’m bringing to you, my community, that such public demonstrations of hate and degradation are an indication that we still are desperately in need of this day, this Yom Kippur.  We need to come together and talk about society’s ills and how they impact us. We also need to ask ourselves “how did we get here?” and build for ourselves a way out.

Again, I’m not fully clear how to do this. But I am considering how I can respond to internally. What do I need to be engaging with in the public space and what internal work do I need to do in order to chart a more constructive path forward.  How can the ideas and images of Yom Kippur- and indeed this whole time of year- help me do that?

And in reflecting on all this, I keep coming back to the shofar.  Not really the shofar itself but the way in which the sound of the shofar becomes meaningful.  In ancient times, the shofar was blown for many reasons- a joyous occasion, a sacred moment, a battle cry, the beginning of something, the end of something. As we know, the sounds would vary depending on what was being communicated.  No matter what the reason, though, the shofar was a call to attention.  And, even more significantly, the people needed to hear it. Today, before blowing the shofar, we say a blessing, thanking God for commanding us to hear the Shofar.  Hearing the shofar- its call to attention- is where the obligation lies.

This is where I am finding some guidance on how to be, think and act- or not act- in the current climate. I need to listen more and I need to listen more carefully. That is my obligation. Even when what I am listening to is not the powerful and beautiful sound of the shofar. Because while I want to shut off the noise- and sometimes we need to shut off the noise- I do need to be listening. I need to listen for people’s fears and unvented anger. I need to listen for the smaller ways in which whole groups of people are being treated like objects, instead of human beings.  I need to pay attention to the conversations happening around me, in the media among people I disagree with vehemently. Even those who are saying things that violate acceptable social norms- I need to listen. I will not always have the most articulate response. Oftentimes, the moment will not call for a response although there will likely be a time to say something, loudly and forcefully. But if Yom Kippur can teach me anything, it is that the work of paying attention, listening carefully and reflecting on what is happening around me is a prerequisite to responding effectively.

I realized as I put these thoughts together that much of what I will continue to say is not specifically connected to the painful language being used about women during this election season. These thoughts are insights for how I can better approach external challenges that I find deeply disturbing- that hit at the core of who I am and what I believe. And November 8th is not going to bring an end to these types of challenges. The end of an election season will certainly not be the end of misogyny, hateful speech or any of the other ugliness that is thrown into such clear relief during this time of year. So I will use this particular experience as an opportunity to transform my transgressions. To move from disengagement to paying attention. From reacting to listening.

My prayer and hope for this year is that I can listen carefully enough, that I don’t come to next year asking “how did we get here?” I know the next year will bring its own challenges, but I am setting myself up to reflect thoughtfully. To respond with strength and conviction knowing that I took my obligation to listen seriously.

Ken Yehi Ratzon.

Rabbi Alison Abrams is the Midwest Regional Director of J Street.

Arranging a Lunch and Learn for a group of JCAST supporters can be an interesting experience. When the topic is SEX TRAFFICKING IN ISRAEL, one is not quite sure what to expect. When the speaker is a rabbi, the intrigue increases…

On September 6th, thirty-eight JCAST supporters were introduced to an extraordinary presentation by Rabbi Levi Lauer highlighting the horrendous issue of the trafficking of women from the Former Soviet Union to Israel, a country most of us hold in high esteem in a world of increasingly hostile sentiment. What the Rabbi told us about the enslavement, the method of transfer by way of Egypt, the sale to pimps, and the daily existence of these sex slaves was beyond belief. But the most disheartening and horrific part of Rabbi Lauer’s speech was the revelation that Israel – it’s government, it’s politicians, it’s law enforcement individuals – allowed this to happen!

Rabbi Levi Lauer, expressing his indignation at Israel, then proceeded to explain how in 2003, he formed ATZUM (Justice Works) and mounted a campaign to eradicate sex trafficking in Israel. Through the formation of ATZUM’s TASK FORCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, he promoted a lobbying campaign with Israeli policymakers that addressed the issue of trafficked women in Israel. His message to us that day was that we must learn the facts AND DO something with that knowledge to affect change in attitudes towards human trafficking.
Rabbi Levi Lauer has set the standard for “doing.” Check out his website, ATZUM.org, to see for yourself what this courageous man (yes, a man!) is DOING to eradicate sex trafficking.

~ Sherry Petlin, JCAST Chicago Steering Committee, Lunch & Learn Co-Chair

We’ve collected items for trafficked kids on the streets. We’ve listened, we’ve learned, we’ve begun to educate and build awareness.  There’s no question that these are all important steps. Yet, it never seems to be enough to make a dent in the prison that is human sex trafficking. That feels depressing.

What I find inspiring is to have discovered that there are pockets of brilliance popping up all around—even in some, perhaps, surprising arenas. Just as we speak today about entrepreneurial incubators for start-up businesses, innovative people and organizations are actively incubating new concepts and practices to help banish this dehumanizing trade.

I’ve recently learned about two such random acts of brilliance.  Turning the Tables was the not-so-random act of Lilach Tzur Ben-Moshe, a Tel Aviv fashion writer and editor.  Through her volunteer work at a rape crisis center, Lilach saw the realities of the sex trade and she became determined to help women leave it. And what was her solution? She helped these women learn skills in fashion styling, dress design and sewing by providing a free course and training. It’s a way up and out for many women in the Tel Aviv area. Turning the Tables helps build real job skills, as well as confidence and new found resilience for many former victims of trafficking. In 2015, NCJW, and in 2016 the Hadassah Foundation, provided grant funding for Turning the Tables. It’s direct, impactful, life-changing and can be replicated anywhere. Brilliant.

Another act is Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT).  Yes—truckers.  The founders of TAT recognized that often their own transportation systems were being exploited by traffickers, as victims were often seen around truck stops and the restaurants and motels frequented by truckers as they work. So, they set out to prepare training videos, develop wallet cards and other materials that became part of trucker orientations. They’ve mobilized their members and others to learn how to recognize signs of trafficking, then report and combat it. Brilliant.

So, we see random acts of brilliance making a real, hands-on difference in this fight. These ideas, and certainly there are others, can be applied to many different areas and industries. Can we brainstorm and come up with a short list of viable ideas that we can implement through JCAST Chicago?  I’m in. Are you?

Ronna Ash
Executive Director
Hadassah Chicago-North Shore

As a new member of the coalition, I was shocked to learn the facts and figures of sex trafficking in the country and in particular Chicago. According to the Center for Impact Research, there are 16,000 to 25,000 Chicagoland women and girls that are “sex trafficked” each year. Amy Alvaro, a human trafficking specialist of the Cook County State Attorney’s office attributes the prevalence in Chicago to the fact that it is a large convention city with a huge international airport.

In May, I attended a seminar lead by Lori Cohen, chair of NCJW Exodus Campaign and the director of Anti Trafficking Initiative at the Center for Battered Woman’s Legal Services at Sanctuary for Families in New York City.
Sanctuary for Families provides many services to its victims, most of whom are immigrants or a part of the LGBTQ community. Among them is an Anti-Trafficking initiative that provides services to victims of sex trafficking so they can build a life without relying on funds from exploitation.

In many instances it is difficult for them to seek help. One way sanctuary reaches their target audience is by going to events in parks and public places where they hand out cards in the primary language of the neighborhood. The cards have the pertinent information for victims to contact the appropriate person at the Sanctuary to receive the professional help they need. There are a variety of services provided in many areas including counseling and crisis intervention, legal services, and economic empowerment.

Lori mentioned a New York Times Magazine article, “Should Prostitution be a Crime?” by Emily Bazelon (published May 5, 2016). Posted below are 3 perspectives of crucial statistics, survivors viewpoints and stories, which were missing from the article. There are more posts on The Sanctuary blog page (www.sanctuaryforfamilies.org/blog)

To the Editor:
Re: Should Prostitution be a Crime?
If the small group of privileged “sex workers” highlighted in Bazelon’s article have their way, and prostitution is decriminalized around the world, every boy will grow up knowing it¹s acceptable to buy a body whenever he feels the urge. The result? The market for flesh will grow, delivering a windfall to traffickers and pimps and putting millions more women and girls in harm’s way. The standard PR line of the commercial sex industry is that we in the anti-trafficking community “conflate” consensual prostitution with trafficking. No, we don’t. Prostitution is the marketplace and trafficking is a primary way that product is delivered to buyers. It’s economics 101. Grow the market and trafficking increases.

Bazelon blithely disregards the harm inherent in prostitution. I’ve seen it up close, having been Director of the Human Rights Clinic at Mount Sinai. The stories from survivors of the sex trade are horrific. The violence in prostitution is staggering. The resulting physical and mental health problems are crushing. We need to adopt the Nordic model, which decriminalizes the prostituted person but criminalizes the traffickers, pimps and buyers. Creating an open market place for the use and abuse of women and girls (and men and boys) would be one of the most shocking human rights violations of our time.

Holly G. Atkinson, MD, FACP, FAMWA
Co-Director, Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans, American Medical Women’s Association, Past President, Physicians for Human Rights
________________________________________
Re: the New York Times Magazine cover story Should Prostitution Be a Crime.
As a former judge and prosecutor, and now as the executive director of Sanctuary for Families, I have seen thousands of victims who have been exploited in the sex trade. Many of them were lured in by pimps and traffickers, most as children. Others have ended up in prostitution when conditions of extreme poverty and prior sexual abuse leave them with few options.

Ms. Bazelon inexplicably omits the experience of these victims, almost exclusively women and girls of color and undocumented immigrants. Instead, her primary focus is on the comparatively privileged, adult, mostly white “sex worker” as reflected in the cover photo, which creates a falsely benign picture of the world’s most brutal industry.

Prostitution is almost invariably a condition of gender inequality and frequently a violent and lethally dangerous form of abuse inextricably connected to sex trafficking. People in prostitution should not be criminalized and must be provided with services. If we fail to hold traffickers, pimps and buyers accountable, the sex trafficking industry will continue to expand, destroying the lives of new generations of victims.

Hon. Judy Harris Kluger
Executive Director
Sanctuary for Families
________________________________________
To the Editor:
Re: Should Prostitution be a Crime?
Emily Bazelon‘s piece ““Should Prostitution Be a Crime?” makes a case for listening to the voices of those who have actually experienced the commercial sex industry. Unfortunately the voices left out of this piece are the women and girls who have not viewed this as ‘sex work’ but violent exploitation, the experiences of those under pimp control, (over 90 percent of the 400 plus girls and young women GEMS serves annually are or have been under the control of a pimp) and the hundreds of women who have now begun to step out of the shadows to publicly identify as ‘survivors’ of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking.

These voices are overwhelmingly the voices of girls and young women of color, (the slide show is clearly overwhelmingly white women), of runaway and homeless youth, of women trapped in addiction and poverty. While the anti-trafficking movement can often over simplify or sensationalize these stories, the truth is both more nuanced and more horrific than any well-intentioned awareness campaign that isn’t survivor led or survivor informed.

As a survivor myself and having founded and run GEMS for 18 years, I’m aware that there are no easy solutions to this issue but at least the NYT could have provided a more balanced view by actually including the voices of those young people who are already marginalized and who view the sex industry as inherently violent and harmful, preying upon the most vulnerable in our society.

Rachel Lloyd
Founder and CEO
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services
________________________________________

Written by Bonnie Ribet,  Member, NCJW South Cook Executive Board, Member, JCAST Chicago Steering Committee

Many people are surprised to learn that over 3000,000 American children are sold in the sex trade each year. When the founders of Selah Freedom learned this they went looking for an organization to support but found none. What began as a grassroots initiative of women from across the country to be a voice for the voiceless has quickly transformed into a thriving organization. Selah Freedom actively confronts the issue of sex trafficking and is being upheld as the statewide model in Florida for how to effectively bring solutions to survivors of sex trafficking & exploitation. Selah is a Hebrew word which means to pause, rest, and reflect. We give survivors a chance to do just that. Women in our programs have an opportunity to dream again; to discover who it is they were created to be. In order to do this, Selah Freedom closely partners with law enforcement, legislators, and influential leaders to not only shed light on the staggering statistics, but also to work together to change those statistics by changing lives! Selah Freedom attacks the problem of sex trafficking from all sides by focusing on four foundational programs: Awareness, Prevention, Outreach, and Residential.

Selah Freedom started our mission in Sarasota, Florida but we are now expanding our operation to serve victims in the Chicago area. Sadly, Chicago is one of the top five cities in America for sex trafficking and even more heartbreaking is that there is currently only a small home for minors and zero beds for those sex trafficking survivors who are over the age of eighteen. Along with passionate advocacy groups such as the JCAST, Chicago has some of the best resources and lawmakers in this area, and experts like the teams at CAASE (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), The Dreamcatcher Foundation , Stop IT Now and many more, are doing amazing things to provide resources and services. Unfortunately, there are no long term solutions in the city. This means that girls often end up right back in the sex trade, as there is no place for them to go to be safe, heal, and begin a new life. Chicago is such a great city- we are thrilled to be able to open housing here and start making it the solution center it should be.

Our first goal is to raise $280,000 to open the first phase of our residential program, ideally on the north side of the city or Evanston. We have had homes donated in the past- and hope this happens in Chicagoland- a 3-4-bedroom home is all we need to begin, even rent free for just one year is a huge gift- and a great tax write off for the donor. Instantly, six women will be given a new start in life- and the momentum begins to engage the community and grow to accommodate even more.

If you are looking to get involved and help Selah Freedom’s mission, we like to say, “Raise your Voice, Raise your Hand or Raise your Resources!” Right now the greatest help is getting the word out- if you have a venue or group that we can speak to such as a rotary, women’s or men’s groups, junior leagues, or synagogues or churches, and of course- help us financially. Once we are up and running we will have tons of opportunities for hands on volunteers. We need volunteers from tutors to mentors, teaching everything from how to clean a fridge, how to dress, we offer puppy therapy, art therapy, craft classes- horse therapy, music- everything we gave our own children is returned to these precious lives. We need the gifts of every individual to offer them all that was stolen, all of this in addition to the trauma therapy and clinical work we offer.

We could not be more excited to be opening our doors in the Chicago area! The success of our mission depends largely on partnering with local organizations and faith groups in order to raise awareness and community support. We are truly grateful to be joining a community with so many selflessness and compassionate individuals and organizations and cannot wait to start changing lives and bringing Chicago’s sex trafficking victims the fulfilled lives they all deserve.

To learn more about Selah Freedom, visit our website at http://www.selahfreedom.com

~Elizabeth Melendez Fisher, M.A., President/CEO, Selah Freedom

I recently saw Mary Bonnett’s new play MONEY MAKE’M SMILE a play about domestic sex trafficking of youth, written for high school and college age students as well as adults. It’s a journey through youth, choice, impact of family and community. The young girl appears to be doomed from the beginning. A mother who does not want her and she enters the system…the journey takes her to numerous foster homes, eventually a home where the young man is angry the parents brought into the home and encouraged by his friends to “show her whose the man” he rapes her. She has choices along the way to say what really happened but she does not and she enters into an online relationship with “daddy” who says he will love her, protect her, keep her safe and buy her pretty things. She becomes his “sex slave in stilettos” kidnapped, physically abused and tortured unless she makes money for him. She reaches out to a boy with a crush on her for help but he feels paralyzed and does nothing.

At different points throughout the play everyone can make different decisions and choices. She could have told the therapist from child services what really happened. The boy could have called the police when he saw her abducted. Mary has taken many questions about our times, blue versus pink, cultural expectations of manliness, girls and science, what will lead people to action when they see injustice, the big business of sex trafficking, on line grooming and has created a powerful vehicle for conversation. There is guide for teachers to have meaningful conversations about issues that matter.

One of the lines that stood out for me was slaves in stilettos. I googled that and it was all porn sites, and foot fetishes. Personally I was disgusted and felt dirty seeing 13,000,000 results. I wanted to go take a shower. But that is a starting place. We as a community need to own the truth. “These girls are slaves. They are bought and sold every day. They are branded and tattooed with a barcode so that traffickers can identify their “stock”. They are dressed provocatively because they are forced to. Men buy the look. They want to feed the fantasies they see on porn sites. These girls, these little girls, they are someone’s child. In Chicago on any given day 16,000 to 25 000 children are sex trafficked. There are boys and girls. Yet the majority are girls. They need our help.

Learn the signs a child may be being trafficked. https://polarisproject.org/recognize-signs
Call the police or hotlines when you see something. 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733)
Encourage your schools to have programs that talk to young men about the exploitation of women. http://caase.org/
Host programs in your community that talk about this issue. [email protected]
Support movies, art shows, books that talk about this subject.
These are difficult conversations and often through the varied “Arts” of story telling you can open up meaningful dialogue like Mary Bonnett’s plays. To see more about her work go to www.HerStoryTheater.org

~~Rae Luskin is a member of the JCAST Chicago Steering Committee and a Creative Activist, Speaker, Author and Artist. This blog article is reprinted with her permission.  See the original article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/slaves-stilettos-rae-luskin.

As our homes fill with the comforting smells of brisket and matzo ball soup, we anticipate celebrating Passover with our families and friends. We remind ourselves that we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but now we are free. Avadim hayinu. We were slaves.But even as we celebrate our journey from slavery to freedom, there are those still enslaved in our community, our state and our world.

Perhaps you already know that human trafficking is often called “modern day slavery” and that victims of trafficking are all too often forced into prostitution and forced labor. This year when we fulfill our responsibility to act and take a stand against human trafficking, we have a unique opportunity to remember that we “were once slaves in Egypt” and fulfill the promises of our own Jewish heritage and traditions.

This year, we at NCJW will be dedicating ourselves to raising awareness about human trafficking. The materials below can enhance your Seder or just provide you with materials to share.

• The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) has created an anti-trafficking Hagaddah that you can incorporate in your Seder. Click here to download a copy of The Freedom Haggadah, An Anti-trafficking Seder.
• Did a slave produce the wheat for my matzah? What about the wine or the egg? Guess how many slaves worked to produced your Seder, and learn what steps you can take to root out slavery in our supply chain. Download T’ruah’s Passover Taste of Slavery Footprint.  T’ruah also offers a print ready Haggadah on fighting modern slavery which features an engaging examination of modern slavery, with classical and contemporary texts. Click here to download The Other Side of the Sea: A Haggadah on Fighting Modern Slavery.
• American Jewish World Service offers a number of Passover resources including Haggadah supplements and readings for your Passover Seder. Click here to view and download.
• Free the Slaves in collaboration with Rabbi Debra Orenstein, Rabbi Erin Hirsh and other outstanding Jewish educators has created a variety of engaging materials that will highlight modern-day slavery at your Seder including Next Year, Free! A Modern Slavery Curriculum, Seder Starters and Passover Prep. Click here to view and download.
• Seder2015 offers several customizable Passover Haggadot inlcuding a Human Trafficking Haggadah Companion. Click here to download.
• Moving Traditions offers a Seder supplement titled Hiding and Finding the Matzah—and Ourselves.  Click here to view and download.
• NCJW Sacramento Section has a human trafficking Seder supplement available. Click here to download.
• This year, give an afikomen prize that will make a difference. Donate to JCAST Chicago North Shore’s Action and Advocacy Campaign today! Click here to donate.

May you and your loved ones have a happy and healthy Passover. May the stories of our past inspire each of us to take action for justice and safety in our communities and around the world.

~~ Melissa Prober, Communications Director, NCJW Chicago North Shore and JCAST Chicago

Earlier this month, 350 NCJW members and supporters from around the country including 9 members of the JCAST Chicago Steering Committee spent an amazing three days in Washington learning, advocating and raising our voices on behalf of others at Washington Institute, NCJW’s premier public policy event.  Although I have been a member of NCJW for over a decade (and a staff member for nearly as long), this was my first time attending, but it won’t be my last.

Washington Institute attendees spend three intensive days learning about important issues from experts, network with life-minded advocates, gain skills to promote change, and speak to  decision makers during lobby visits on Capitol Hill.  This year, we were trained on the following four issues:

Ensuring qualified federal judicial nominees receive timely votes
Supporting the Voting Rights Advancement Act (HR 2867/S 1659)
Supporting the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (HR 1779/S 262)
Supporting the Each Woman Act of 2015 (HR 2972)
Although all four of these issues are vital to the well-being of us all, I want to focus on the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act.

For over four decades, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) has provided three types of federal grants to help communities deliver life-saving and supportive services to homeless, runaway, and disconnected youth.  The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (RHYTPA), S 262/ HR 1779, introduced in the Senate in January 2015 and the House of Representatives in April 2015, would reauthorize and strengthen these critical programs by collecting human trafficking data, adding a nondiscrimination clause that mirrors federal regulations, and increasing the temporary length of stay for homeless youth.

Introduced by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate and Reps. John Yarmuth (D-KY) and Dave Reichert (R-WA) in the House, these bi-partisan bills would reauthorize and expand RHYA’s three community grant programs in several ways. (1) The length of stay in the Basic Center Program, which provides temporary housing with crisis intervention services to minors, would increase from 21 to 30 days. (2) The Transitional Living Program, which offers longer-term residential services for older homeless youth, would be required to provide suicide prevention services, referrals to mental health care services (if trafficking victims), and statistics of human trafficked youth. (3) The Street Outreach Program would provide crisis intervention and service referrals to runaway and homeless youth at street drop-in centers.

Runaway and homeless youth programs provide vital services to runaway, homeless, and disconnected youth. This modest investment has laid the foundation for a national system of services for our most vulnerable young people.  Youth who runaway or are homeless are especially vulnerable to becoming victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that 1 in 5 of the 11,800 runaways reported in 2015 was a likely sex trafficking victims. Programs aimed at homeless and runaway youth are critical to helping youth find stable, sustainable housing. In 2014, over 85% of youth exited these programs safely and effectively; in 2013, 72% of youth in RHYA temporary housing reunited with their families.

In our visits, we found that at least one Congressperson’s Chief of Staff was unaware that this bill was different from the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act signed into law in 2015.  Please contact your elected officials and urge them to learn more about the RHYTPA, become a co-sponsor of the bill, and urge their colleagues to do the same.  You can reach your US Senators and Member of Congress via the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the office you request.

Your power as a constituent cannot be underestimated.  Representative Bobby Rush is now a cosponsor of the RHYTPA after Lynne Oberman (NCJW South Cook president) and her fellow NCJW South Cook section members met with his staff.  He signed on the day they visited.  Remember one voice can make a difference.

NCJW Chicago North Shore Board member Tina Cantrell summed up Washington Institute with some powerful thoughts: “We live in a world of hurt and need.  We can accept that and sit back, doing nothing, or we can take a stand, often courageously and surrounded by risk-taking, to try to make the world just a little better.  Fighting injustice bit-by-bit speaks to my conscience and my Jewish values.  I have respect for Tikun Olam, repairing the world, and although my actions seem small compared to other women’s efforts in NCJW and elsewhere, I believe we can make a difference when working together.”

Thanks for standing with us to prevent youth from becoming trafficked.

~~Melissa Prober, Communications Director, NCJW Chicago North Shore and JCAST Chicago

JCAST Chicago was formed by NCJW Chicago North Shore Section in 2014 when we began to learn that sex trafficking is pervasive and a form of modern day slavery.  We know that sex trafficking knows no boundaries; women (and some men) of all ethnicities and socio-economic levels are victimized and men (and some women) of all ethnicities and socio-economic levels are perpetrators (johns, pimps and traffickers).    I share with you this “testimony” by a sex trafficking survivor that she shared at a conference in New York.  She’s a Jewish woman and was victimized in her home and in her synagogue; like virtually all victims of sex trafficking, she had been sexually abused as a child.  Our hearts reach out to all victims of trafficking.  Please help JCAST Chicago raise awareness of sex trafficking in the Jewish and non-Jewish communities so we can save young people from falling pretty to trafficking.

(The following testimony is excerpted from the ‘We Were Slaves: The Jewish Community Unites Against Sex Trafficking’ Conference which was held in April 2013.)

Sarah’s Story

Many of you may be wondering why there is an anti sex-trafficking conference directed at the Jewish community. You may believe that my experience is completely atypical, a fluke. It is easy to turn your head and pretend that slavery, especially in the streets of New York, does not happen today. I am asking you to open your ears to those who would speak out against the injustice in their life, if only they could. Open your eyes to the men who supported my pimp and continue to support other pimps, as they pay for our bodies to be used against our will.

Many of you here today, as doctors, social workers, business people, educators, religious leaders and even just as ordinary citizens, may come into contact with someone exploited in prostitution, if only you recognized the signs. You are also in a position where you can educate the men who pay for sex and who continue to make trafficking a lucrative endeavor.

My experience is not unique. It happened to me, but it could have happened to any other girl. What sets me apart, and the only reason I am able to be here today, is because of the people who refused to pass the responsibility to someone else. But even the help I received did not come until after many years of abuse.

No one is born a prostitute. I was lucky to be born into a close-knit family, with parents who did their best to provide my siblings and me with good support and an education. Sex was not talked about in my house, and so when I was little and a neighbor molested me, I was embarrassed to talk about it. I hated Hebrew school because I did not understand why I dressed modestly only to have my tights pulled down, as I tried not to cry.

When the man who later became my pimp, raped me, I did not tell anyone because I blamed myself for giving into his beatings and placing myself in the situation. Eventually the line blurred between being beaten, being threatened, and choosing to have sex out of my own will.

After so many times of being set up with strangers and not being able to say no, even when a man was repulsive or violent, I began to convince myself I enjoyed what we prostituted girls called “the life”, so that I could live. I tried to convince myself that it was a game. The times I broke the rules by not cooperating or trying to believe that I could get away, a beating by my pimp brought me back to reality.

I always blamed myself for not being able to get away. I believed I was weak and should have been able to walk away from the nightmare I was living. The self- blame and shame stopped me from telling my family and others around me.

I also thought it was obvious, but the people around me did not notice or chose not to care. I was kicked out of Hebrew school for hanging out with older men. My pediatrician commented on my injuries, but never identified me as a trafficking victim. I went to a free clinic almost weekly to make sure I did not have any STD’s, but no one there realized I was forced into prostitution, even though the staff noticed my injuries and I was honest about the number of men who had sex with me. I was beaten in several stores, but instead of reaching out to help me, both my pimp and I were told to leave. I was in and out of the hospital for injuries my pimps inflicted on me, several times. I was well known in the local precinct, as I was often robbed or assaulted. I also tried to go to the police for help, but I was turned away, because instead of seeing a crime victim, they only saw a prostitute. One store owner noticed the interchange of money between me and older men, and contacted my family. It was that small action that led to my family’s involvement.

When I was being trafficked, I could not seek help from the police or those around me. My pimps told me that if I did, my family would be attacked and my sister would be raped. I could not see outside my world, and to me, my pimp was the most powerful person in my life.

I also felt extremely conflicted about “snitching” on the man who forced me to have sex with other people. He isolated me from my family and friends. His friends became my friends. I felt really close to him. The more I stood by him, despite his violence, the more he seemed to respect me. When he hit me, I blamed myself for stepping out of line and believed that it was because he cared about me.

I was stopped by the police several times, but they ignored the signs that I was being abused. A few years ago, I was in a car that was stopped at around 3 am. I was with men over ten years older than me, and the police asked me if everything was okay. Surrounded by the same men who beat me, I said yes. No more questions were asked.

There is no singular physical description that can describe the men who pay for sex. Nor is there a religious, educational or occupational divide.  Some Jewish men, like men of many other religions, also pay for sex. Some of the men who paid to have sex with me wore a kippah, a few men were Muslim. Some men had multiple degrees; others never even graduated high-school. Some talked about their wives and one even showed me a picture of his kids.

One day I met someone, who refused to turn the other way. No matter how much I tried to justify my life on the street, he told me it was not okay. He helped me refocus on my goals and work on the practical obstacles that lay in the way of getting off the street, such as moving and dealing with law enforcement. He allowed me to see a bigger world, one in which I could live out of my pimp’s reach.

I was scared about leaving prostitution completely because I did not want my family to be harmed. It seemed impossible for my family to move, as my siblings were in local schools and my family could not afford to move. The staff at the social service agency that assisted me assured me that I could focus on getting out, instead of keeping my family safe. They helped my family move, and provided me with therapy and support that enabled me to move on from the life.

Now, I am out of prostitution and have the luxury of being able to set the boundaries for my body. I learned that the quick racing heart I have had for so long, was not normal, but rather anxiety. I no longer had an ever-increasing pile of ripped jeans with the buttons missing, or shirts, ripped from being beaten. I find myself sitting in class, appreciating the fact that I am sitting there without having to make up for lost time, later that night. I no longer have bruises, burns or cuts to hide. The condom I carry, in case I get raped, is still the same condom I have carried for months.

I had always thought I would be able to walk away, unscathed. But somehow, my life on the street has found ways to seep into the normal life I had wanted for so long. The same principles that kept me alive on the street, are the ones that are contrary to living a so called, normal life.  Nightmares jolt me up at night as I relive the same events that I had one time considered normal. I fend off every possibility of getting to know another guy, even as a simple study partner, for the fear of being raped again.

However, I now have the freedom that will enable to get past it. With the help and support of my professor, therapist, social workers, a prosecutor, a social service agency and my family, I was given the chance to get away from the person who forced me into prostitution.

I did not know I was a victim of sex trafficking, and it took me a long time to get help. You are here today, because any one of you could be in the position to help a sex trafficking victim get off the street, either directly or by putting her in touch with services that would help her. You are also in a position to educate others to recognize sex trafficking victims and to take a stand against paying for sex. What happened to me could have happened to you, your wife, your daughters, your nieces or your friends. It is time to take a stand against sex trafficking and show support to those who believe they are alone and cannot say no.

As a child, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always replied in all seriousness, “I don’t know, but whatever it is, I want to be famous enough to get a day off of school named for me!”

With ideas of fame and fortune well behind me and the awe inspiring work of serving my community on the forefront, I’ve never looked back on my decision.  As the Senior Program Officer of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, daily I learn about innovative programing and from communities wanting to positively impact their progeny’s future.  Constantly impressed by the relentless commitment to improve outcomes, change practices and policies, our grantees see the impact of their work not in terms of one completed program, but the shift that they are making on society’s behaviors, definitions, engagement on an issue, and legislation.

My personal path throughout the nonprofit and philanthropic sector took me from Chicago to New York to Washington, D.C. and back again to Chicago. While each step along the way provided a culturally rich education and rewarding experience, it seemed that one societal ill plagued each community; sex trafficking.

In the United States, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines sex trafficking as:  “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age” (22 USC § 7102). The term “commercial sex act” is defined as any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person (22 U.S.C. 7102).

The underground sex economy’s value is estimated between $39.9 and $290 million annually (Urban Institute, 2014).  Statistics suggest that wherever you are reading this article, right now 1 in 6 runaways are likely to become victims of sex trafficking (Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2014).

Individuals who buy sex provide the demand and profit incentives traffickers seek. Many buyerss of sex are unaware, poorly informed, or in denial about the realities of the sex industry.  Victims of trafficking are usually subjected to violence, coercion, threats, lies, and manipulation by their traffickers. As contrary as this may sound; this is the good news, this is where we can make a difference.

National Human Trafficking Day is observed annually on January 11. Rather than trying to get a vacation day on the school calendar as I once dreamed of, why not spend one day doing something that can change the way an individual or a community views those most vulnerable in our community? JCAST Chicago works to eradicate sex trafficking in the Chicagoland area through public awareness, community engagement, and advocacy at state, local and national levels. With your help, we can educate elected officials, policy makers, leaders, and residence about the realities of trafficking and end the demand.

Sign up for Action Alerts to stay up-to-date with the issues.   ncjwcns.org/jcast.
Send a letter calling on local leaders and law enforcement to enforce laws and end demand. For a sample letter visit: org/trafficking-resources
Hang a Flyer. Victims may visit bus stations, grocery stores, currency exchanges, and gas stations. Hang a poster featuring the hotline for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center and help them escape to safety. For more information and to receive flyers, please visit org/trafficking-resources  for a link.
Attend an event. JCAST Chicago and Hadassah with Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, January 31, 2016; 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Don’t let another day that goes by without learning more about this pervasive issue.

~~Sara Kalish, Senior Program Officer, Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago