853:
25:
215:
264:, she credits Footsteps therapists with helping her both, when she left the Hasidic community, and later when she came out as transgender women, saying that speaking with a Footsteps social worker "was the first time I ever spoke to a professional where I felt listened to, as opposed to feeling like a problem that needed solving."
155:
mainstream
America may feel like "cultural immigrants". They may face cultural disorientation and isolation, coupled with a lack of practical and marketable skills. Founded in December 2003, Footsteps aims to assist individuals who choose to make this transition. Individuals frequently refer to themselves as "
154:
According to its website, Footsteps provides educational, vocational, professional, social, and legal support to those seeking to enter or explore the world beyond the insular ultra-Orthodox communities in which they were raised. Some people from the Haredi and
Hasidic communities who choose to enter
234:
Footsteps provides an array of services for its members. The
Footsteps offices are known as "The Space", and are situated at an unpublicized location, due to privacy concerns. They contain a computer lab, library, meeting space, kitchenette, and lounge, where members can work and hang out. Members
238:
Footsteps also holds several annual events, which are open to members and guests. Events include: Thanksgiving dinner, Passover
Potluck, and an annual camping trip. Since 2009, "Footsteps Celebrates" has been held each year in June, to celebrate graduations, accomplishments, and leadership roles.
60:
218:
217:
222:
221:
216:
223:
220:
179:
in New York City. According to
Schwartz, 20 people showed up to the first meeting, announced on flyers around the Hunter campus and through word of mouth. Footsteps began as an informal social group, and soon developed an
202:
As of 2015, Footsteps had a permanent staff of 10, a membership of over 1000, and an annual budget in excess of $ 1 million. Its current director is Lani Santo. The organization's program director is
351:
by Hella
Winston relates the story of the founder of Footsteps and some of those who have gone through the organization as part of their journey to leave the Haredi and Hasidic communities. The
257:, as well as in numerous interviews, credits Footsteps with helping her succeed after she left the Hasidic community, even calling their work "life saving." In a March 2021 interview with the
219:
873:
235:
gather for various groups, events, and workshops on topics including dating and sexuality, navigating the college admissions process, career advancement, and painting.
406:- an Australian based non-profit that supports and empowers religious Jewish people who are questioning their lifestyle, practices and beliefs (strictly confidential).
239:
During the summer months of 2012, Footsteps organized a weekly soccer game in
Prospect Park. During winter, an indoor game of basketball took place bi-weekly.
878:
723:
629:
188:
and relationships group, members finding they had been denied access to basic sex education instruction within the Haredi community.
646:
482:
195:, with a broad remit of support and education for ex-Haredi Jews. Footsteps can also provide counseling, and has partnered with
683:
582:
868:
601:
510:
159:", or OTD, reclaiming the dismissive term given to leavers by members of the ultra-Orthodox communities they have left.
185:
561:
196:
181:
355:
program, "Inside
Hasidism", included a segment about Footsteps and some of its members. The 2017 documentary,
230:' ex-Muslims president Noura Embabi explains how they co-operate with Footsteps' formerly ultra-Orthodox Jews.
352:
663:
713:
450:
398:
821:
383:, a UK-based organization which supports the transition of leaving the Haredi lifestyle in Britain
172:
192:
478:
432:
392:
357:
131:
that provides educational, vocational, and social support to people who have left or want to
427:
799:
745:
630:
Google vs. God: What’s causing all these
Hasidic Jews to flee their community? Smartphones
242:
Footsteps has also held annual art shows in which it exhibits works by
Footsteps members.
8:
852:
38:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
826:
566:
375:
535:
718:
258:
774:
602:"Life after conservative faith: the defectors who leave ultra-Orthodox communities"
514:
323:
140:
625:
507:
386:
301:
176:
156:
136:
132:
862:
317:
128:
295:
277:
203:
679:
423:
289:
273:
311:
250:
753:
335:
Footsteps has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the
227:
199:
to provide legal assistance and advice in divorce and custody cases.
167:
Footsteps was founded in December 2003, by Malkie Schwartz, a former
403:
370:
59:
846:
111:
305:
168:
380:
702:: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman
143:
94:
support for people leaving the U.S. Haredi Jewish community
253:, a formerly Ultra-Orthodox rabbi and author in her book
822:"Review: 'One of Us', a Portrait of Starting a New Life"
583:"Formerly Orthodox, and Struggling for Parental Rights"
562:"When Living Your Truth Can Mean Losing Your Children"
428:
Young Ultra-Orthodox Jews Struggle Against Tradition
874:
Non-profit organizations based in the United States
705:
361:, features Footsteps and its members extensively.
860:
744:Cheslaw, Louis; Corsillo, Liza (29 March 2021).
647:The 'Footsteps' of Those Leaving Ultra-Orthodoxy
743:
483:"The High Price of Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Life"
444:
442:
819:
724:Hadassah, the Women's Organization of America
693:
439:
349:Unchosen: The Hidden Lives of Hasidic Rebels
879:Secular Jewish culture in the United States
477:
851:
684:Ex-Haredi Artists Grapple With Their Pasts
127:is a not-for-profit organization based in
58:
473:
471:
529:
527:
213:
711:
581:West, Melanie Grayce (12 August 2014).
861:
792:
673:
599:
593:
468:
347:, PBS, NBC, and many others. The book
191:As the organization grew, it became a
533:
524:
448:
580:
18:
820:Ben Kenigsberg (October 19, 2017).
656:
639:
13:
500:
283:
14:
890:
838:
746:"The Best Therapists in New York"
664:For Ex-Orthodox, More Than a Game
330:
175:, while enrolled as a student at
146:community in the United States.
23:
16:American non-profit organization
813:
767:
737:
600:Halime, Farah (27 March 2015).
534:Clark, Amy Sara (31 May 2015).
197:New York Legal Assistance Group
619:
574:
554:
417:
1:
722:. No. July/August 2020.
449:Lavin, Talia (31 July 2015).
410:
272:Board members include author
267:
209:
802:. Fox International Channels
714:"Abby Stein Finds Her Voice"
712:Musleah, Rahel (July 2020).
7:
869:Disengagement from religion
451:"Off the Path of Orthodoxy"
364:
314:, author and trans activist
86:not-for-profit organization
10:
895:
162:
149:
245:
106:
98:
90:
82:
74:
66:
57:
32:This article needs to be
589:– via www.wsj.com.
399:Religious disaffiliation
308:and CEO until late 2022.
479:Brodesser-Akner, Taffy
231:
433:All Things Considered
226:
775:"Board of directors"
662:Josh Nathan-Kazis.
645:Josh Nathan-Kazis.
587:Wall Street Journal
353:National Geographic
341:Wall Street Journal
827:The New York Times
636:, August 21, 2012.
567:The New York Times
521:, August 17, 2010.
513:2013-07-24 at the
404:Pathways Melbourne
376:Faith to Faithless
232:
800:"Inside Hasidism"
752:. New York City:
750:New York Magazine
719:Hadassah Magazine
690:, April 27, 2011.
542:. Times of Israel
436:, August 8, 2011.
224:
193:501(c) non-profit
182:educational study
122:
121:
53:
52:
886:
855:
850:
849:
847:Official website
832:
831:
817:
811:
810:
808:
807:
796:
790:
789:
787:
785:
771:
765:
764:
762:
760:
741:
735:
734:
732:
730:
709:
703:
697:
691:
677:
671:
670:, June 29, 2012.
660:
654:
643:
637:
623:
617:
616:
614:
612:
597:
591:
590:
578:
572:
571:
558:
552:
551:
549:
547:
536:"Lani Santo, 35"
531:
522:
504:
498:
497:
495:
493:
475:
466:
465:
463:
461:
446:
437:
421:
276:and businessman
225:
118:
115:
113:
62:
55:
54:
48:
45:
39:
27:
26:
19:
894:
893:
889:
888:
887:
885:
884:
883:
859:
858:
845:
844:
841:
836:
835:
818:
814:
805:
803:
798:
797:
793:
783:
781:
773:
772:
768:
758:
756:
742:
738:
728:
726:
710:
706:
698:
694:
678:
674:
661:
657:
653:, June 8, 2012.
644:
640:
624:
620:
610:
608:
598:
594:
579:
575:
560:
559:
555:
545:
543:
532:
525:
515:Wayback Machine
505:
501:
491:
489:
476:
469:
459:
457:
447:
440:
422:
418:
413:
367:
333:
324:Jericho Vincent
286:
284:Notable members
270:
248:
214:
212:
165:
152:
110:
78:Malkie Schwartz
49:
43:
40:
37:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
892:
882:
881:
876:
871:
857:
856:
840:
839:External links
837:
834:
833:
812:
791:
766:
736:
704:
692:
672:
655:
638:
626:Libby Copeland
618:
592:
573:
553:
523:
499:
487:New York Times
467:
438:
415:
414:
412:
409:
408:
407:
401:
396:
389:
387:Off the derech
384:
378:
373:
366:
363:
337:New York Times
332:
331:Media exposure
329:
328:
327:
321:
315:
309:
302:Naftuli Moster
299:
293:
285:
282:
269:
266:
247:
244:
211:
208:
177:Hunter College
164:
161:
157:off the derech
151:
148:
120:
119:
108:
104:
103:
100:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
51:
50:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
891:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
866:
864:
854:
848:
843:
842:
829:
828:
823:
816:
801:
795:
780:
779:Footsteps.org
776:
770:
755:
751:
747:
740:
725:
721:
720:
715:
708:
701:
696:
689:
685:
681:
676:
669:
665:
659:
652:
648:
642:
635:
631:
627:
622:
607:
603:
596:
588:
584:
577:
569:
568:
563:
557:
541:
537:
530:
528:
520:
516:
512:
509:
503:
488:
484:
480:
474:
472:
456:
452:
445:
443:
435:
434:
429:
425:
420:
416:
405:
402:
400:
397:
395:
394:
390:
388:
385:
382:
379:
377:
374:
372:
369:
368:
362:
360:
359:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
325:
322:
319:
318:Luzer Twersky
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:, founder of
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
288:
287:
281:
279:
275:
265:
263:
261:
256:
252:
243:
240:
236:
229:
207:
205:
200:
198:
194:
189:
187:
186:sex education
183:
178:
174:
173:Crown Heights
170:
160:
158:
147:
145:
142:
138:
134:
130:
129:New York City
126:
117:
114:.footstepsorg
109:
105:
102:New York City
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
70:December 2003
69:
65:
61:
56:
47:
35:
30:
21:
20:
825:
815:
804:. Retrieved
794:
782:. Retrieved
778:
769:
757:. Retrieved
749:
739:
727:. Retrieved
717:
707:
700:Becoming Eve
699:
695:
687:
675:
667:
658:
650:
641:
633:
621:
609:. Retrieved
606:The Guardian
605:
595:
586:
576:
565:
556:
544:. Retrieved
539:
518:
508:The Departed
506:Orli Santo.
502:
490:. Retrieved
486:
458:. Retrieved
454:
431:
419:
391:
356:
348:
344:
340:
336:
334:
298:, councillor
296:Chani Getter
278:Steve Eisman
271:
259:
255:Becoming Eve
254:
249:
241:
237:
233:
204:Chani Getter
201:
190:
184:group and a
166:
153:
124:
123:
99:Headquarters
83:Legal status
41:
33:
688:Forward.com
680:Shulem Deen
668:Forward.com
651:Forward.com
540:Jewish Week
519:Unpious.com
424:Ari Shapiro
290:Shulem Deen
274:Shulem Deen
171:Hasid from
863:Categories
806:2015-05-31
455:New Yorker
411:References
312:Abby Stein
268:Leadership
251:Abby Stein
210:Activities
784:7 October
754:Vox Media
634:Slate.com
611:7 October
546:7 October
492:7 October
460:7 October
393:One of Us
358:One of Us
228:Muslimish
125:Footsteps
67:Formation
44:June 2020
729:July 15,
511:Archived
365:See also
345:Guardian
326:, author
292:, author
262:magazine
260:New York
75:Founders
759:5 April
371:Freidom
320:, actor
163:History
150:Mission
141:Hasidic
107:Website
91:Purpose
34:updated
343:, the
339:, the
306:YAFFED
246:Impact
169:Chabad
144:Jewish
137:Haredi
381:Mavar
133:leave
786:2017
761:2021
731:2020
613:2017
548:2017
494:2017
462:2017
116:.org
139:or
112:www
865::
824:.
777:.
748:.
716:.
686:,
682:.
666:,
649:,
632:,
628:.
604:.
585:.
564:.
538:.
526:^
517:,
485:.
481:.
470:^
453:.
441:^
430:,
426:.
280:.
206:.
135:a
830:.
809:.
788:.
763:.
733:.
615:.
570:.
550:.
496:.
464:.
46:)
42:(
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
