Allison Josephs founded her non-profit Jew in the City in 2007 to re-brand Orthodoxy through social media as many Orthodox Jews themselves misunderstood its foundations. Over the years, she has discovered that even within the Orthodox community there were those who did not understand that the parameters of Halacha had more space than they had imagined.
Josephs has met many varieties of Jews through her involvement in kiruv for over 15 years. Through Partners in Torah, Sinai Retreats, NCSY and Birthright, she has come to realize that Jews comprise many more than the 57 varieties offered by some food companies. In fact, according to Josephs, even those Jews with identifiable affiliations, like charedim, may not be what they seem. “From people we have spoken to there are many in the charedi community who are looking for alternatives.”
Just as some individuals are not “comfortable in their own skin,” there are Jews who are not comfortable in the brand of Judaism into which they were born. For those in the charedi world, this is particularly troublesome as even the slightest deviations in ritual behavior single them out for criticism and even aspersion. Attacks such as these often lead the charedi individual to abandon Judaism entirely as they are not aware of any of the other permutations of religious observance within Orthodoxy. This loss of alternatives often leaves the charedi person with nobody to turn to and no place to go. For some, this results in actual homelessness and desperation. In the worst-case scenarios, street culture takes them over and they are prone to addictions of all sorts.
Realizing how widespread this phenomenon actually is, a few organizations have been formed to address this issue. Footsteps was an early attempt to provide a haven for these formerly charedi individuals. Three years ago, Allison Josephs came onto the scene. Through Jew in the City she came into contact with former charedim who felt betrayed by the type of Orthodoxy she was portraying by calling it “whitewashing,” as it was so different from their experience.
In 2013, she came to realize that some of these angry people wanted access to the privileges of our community such as the freedom not to be judged and the freedom to pursue educational opportunities. After a presentation to a secular crowd, she was approached by a couple from Monsey who admitted to her that they used to be ultra-chasidic. “Their upbringing was devoid of any secular thought and even ball-playing.” They were attracted to Josephs’ brand of Judaism but they did not know whom to follow as their world had always consisted of a rebbe, a leader. After their confession, the couple disappeared. A second incident involved a woman who left her charedi community after getting divorced. She moved to a more modern community but was not embraced—to the extent that her child was not accepted into any school nor was she befriended by any of the community members. “She found that she had to pay a neighbor’s child to play with her son.”
Out of these and many more confidential confessions of former charedim who were abandoned by family, friends and communities, Josephs embarked upon her project to help former charedi Jews find their place in Orthodoxy. As a division of Jew in the City, she aptly called her project “Makom,” meaning “place.” Josephs assembled a database of volunteers who could help the many individuals seeking guidance and direction. Her volunteers may be professional social workers or healthcare workers, teachers of Judaic and secular studies, or simply good people looking to get involved and share the beauty of Orthodox Judaism with others. They are individuals who espouse commitment to Halacha, derech eretz and ahavat Yisrael. They are open-minded, non-judgmental and not afraid to confront tough questions. They also believe that science, secular media and higher education have a place within Orthodoxy.
Project Makom provides its members with social support and especially with a deep sense of community. When needed, referrals are made to private counselors and mental health professionals. Classes in Judaism, including Halacha and hashkafa, are offered and welcome questioning and discussion. “Our mentors range in hashkafa from modern charedi to halachic Modern Orthodox.”
Guidance is provided for individuals seeking to complete their GED and pursue higher education. Tutoring in specific subjects is offered as is preparing college applications and formatting resumes. Help is available to parents seeking appropriate Jewish day schools for their children.
The surrounding Jewish communities, such as our own in Bergen County, can assist Project Makom by inviting individuals and families to join them for Shabbat and Yom Tov, study a specific Jewish topic one-on-one, and simply provide friendship and inclusion.
Project Makom, founded and directed by Josephs, is fortunate to have such a genuinely concerned, well-spoken and enthusiastic leader. A graduate of Columbia University with a degree in philosophy, Josephs is a sought-after international lecturer and has appeared on numerous television and radio networks including CBS, TLC, the Hallmark Channel and NPR. Her articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, CNN and the Huffington Post to name a few. She hosts a popular weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network. Josephs juggles her professional life with that of a wife and devoted mother of four.
To contact Project Makom for further information about referrals, volunteer and donation opportunities, go to ProjectMakom.org.
By Pearl Markovitz
