Archives for 2014

Task Force on Human Trafficking: Facing New Political Realities


Facing new political realities

The 19th Knesset lasted 671 days, less than half its designated term. The government’s vote to dissolve on December 8, 2014 and call for early elections in March 2015 was a blow to those working to bring about critical legislative reforms to protect vulnerable populations. Many important initiatives have been shelved, at least for the time being. Understanding social change as a marathon, not a sprint, the work of ATZUM’s Task Force on Human Trafficking (TFHT) continues.

For the past three years, TFHT has called for passage of legislation based on the Nordic Model, the international standard designed to criminalize the purchase of sexual services and protect the prostituted person, nearly always a coerced girl or woman victim of childhood rape and/or incest. Following the dissolution of the 18th Knesset (February 24, 2009 – February 5, 2013), during which important strides were made with then MK Orit Zuaretz, TFHT maintained and increased its efforts.

From the day the most recent Knesset was sworn in, THFT lobbied and worked tirelessly with government officials from various ministries to advance the complicated process of presentation of legislation through its passage into law. (For detailed information, please see “Primer on Passing Legislation Based on the Nordic Model“.) Perhaps our most significant accomplishment of the past 22 months was bringing to the table three MKs from parties of considerably different political orientation — MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, and MK David Tzur (HaTnuah). In the next Knesset, the strategy will remain the same as we collaborate with those parties with which we have established ongoing relationships.


The next 100 days

There is much to be done to keep the issue front and center and assure we do not lose traction gained. Among other things, our work will focus on:

Legislation: Continue to liaise with past and potential legislators, and the NGO, academic, and law enforcement communities to author comprehensive legislation providing broader protection of prostituted persons than that previously tabled. Such legislation will more comprehensively address issues of demand, deterrents, and rehabilitation.

Legal: Bring to justice individuals renting or managing hundreds of brothels and “discrete apartments” openly operating with impunity; challenge increasing incidents of police violence against prostituted persons, particularly those from the LGBT community.

Advocacy and Social Action: Marshal our “Project 119” international volunteer corps in new ways during this transition between governments to better inform government ministry officials, influential media persons and Diaspora Jewish communal leadership.

Education: Facilitate continuing and new service-learning programs with the aim of encouraging informed activism towards the abolishment of trafficking and prostitution in Israel and the Diaspora.


Stay tuned

TFHT and our long-time pro bono partners which include the law firm of Kabiri-Nevo-Keidar and advertising company Y&R-Israel are committed to changing the social norms and criminal “industries” which allow women and girls to be exploited and diminished. No matter the obstacles placed in our path, we shall persevere for the stakes of human suffering and slavery are too high to abandon. To understand the need for a full-out attack on the prostitution industry, please view this 5-minute hard-hitting piece aired by Israel Social TV (with English subtitles) called The Customer Is Not Always Right.

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The Customer is Not Always Right

Israel Social TV
Mar 3, 2014

The sex industry in Israel generates nearly two billion shekels a year. Thousands of women find themselves trapped in the prostitution cycle due to sexual abuse in childhood, along with severe social and economic circumstances. The bill proposes to take legal actions against clients of prostitution services passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset, and social organizations are now trying to push for final passage. Implementation of the law is expected to cost a lot of money. There is concern that to pass the law, the rehabilitation track will be removed from the law. Therefore, these women engaging in prostitution for lack of choice will lose their source of income and also the possibility of rehabilitation.

Opening London TAKUM Session 2014-2015

The TAKUM course has commenced. Fifteen eager readers huddled together in the synagogues’ Beit Midrash on Tuesday evening, each coming from different backgrounds and for different reasons. With the pouring rain outside, warm drinks and biscuits inside, the atmosphere was perfect for Maureen Kendler’s opening session. Through her selected passage we got to grips with the story of Lot and his daughters. We addressed our previous assumptions about the protagonist, the symbolism of the famous pillar of salt and the typically biblical treatment of women in chapter 19 of Bereishit. And all of this before we had even got to the “tikkun olam” part of the exegesis.

 As we delved into the language, Maureen helped us unravel the issues that the Torah and Midrash reveal. Peppered with our own analysis and discussion we discovered powerful messages within the text about morality and about how we engage with and respond to “The Other”. In fact, we learned that the story of Lot provides us with more of a “how not to” as opposed to the “how to” which we would expect and see in previous chapters with Abraham as our moral beacon. The Bible favours those extraordinary characters who behave with excellent compassion to strangers, to vulnerable members of society and the morally transgressive.

We were left understanding Lot’s final/moral implication on Jewish history; The creation of the Moabites, an enemy of the Israelites, born of his seed….Much to consider, much to learn. Two weeks to go until we huddle around table and text with familiar faces again. 

Note: the London cohort has been brought together with the assistance of Jhub, an organization that brings together people who share a commitment to Jewish values.

Maytal Kuperard

Communications and Community
JHub

#BringBackOurGirls

 

 

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The fate of over 200 Nigerian girls has dominated international headlines for nearly a month.  YouTube Preview Image

These girls, aged 12-18, were kidnapped from their school by an Islamic terrorist group, held hostage and forced to convert to Islam. Shocking video footage that went viral depicts disturbing images of young girls terrified for their lives. Yet more tragic, this terrorist group is known to brutally rape their hostages, turning their captives into sex slaves.

As the global community mobilizes to attempt to end this month-long kidnapping-rape, and by extension all modern versions of human trafficking, political leaders and influential personalities are demonstrating concern via social media.  Most notably, First Lady Michelle Obama, posted a selfie holding a sign of #bringbackourgirls.

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While digital advocacy efforts to sign an online petition have produced greater attention and resonance, the #BringBackOurGirls campaign seems a profoundly inadequate response. 

 

More than three weeks after Islamic extremists abducted the girls, world outrage is galvanizing Twitter and other social-media networks.  As advocates of ending human trafficking in Israel, and across the world, please help our efforts to indeed #BringBackOurGirls. 

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You Can Never Kill a People With Hate

Today, we honor the memories of those we lost and the strength of those we’ve had the fortune to meet. Each candle that was once extinguished prematurely, now shines a brighter light, warming the darkness of our lives.  

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Today is Yom Hashoa, the Holocaust day of memorial. Tonight, we walk the paths of memories that were left for us; memories of our families, our communities, our peoplehood. We remember the love, the loss, the courage and the strength to survive. We scribe the memories into our hearts as a reminder of who we were and who we continue to be. 
Seen on the streets of New York, this woman reminds us that “you can never kill a people with hate.”

“I lived in Poland, so we were persecuted from the first day of the war. First they took us from our home, then they put us in a ghetto, then they made us march, then they sent us to the camps. I was separated from everyone, but my brother later told me that my father froze to death. But I have children now, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren– a great big family, all of them educated. Look at everything that came from just one person who escaped. Just goes to show that you can never kill a people with hate. There will always be someone left to carry on.” – Humans of New York, Sept 6, 2013.

Passover and Modern Slavery

modern day slaveryIn Israel and all around the world Jews are preparing for Passover. While everyone has their own way of celebrating the holiday, most Jews will dedicate at least one night to retelling the story of Pesach and remembering when we were slaves in Egypt. Yet, most people tend to think of slavery in a historical context, making it difficult to relate to the experience of slavery.

However, slavery persists among us. The United Nations estimates that 27 million people are enslaved worldwide, meaning that more people are enslaved now than at any other point in human history. Although slavery has been outlawed in every country, there isn’t a country in the world free of it – including Israel. Whether we like it or not, slavery continues to be a pressing and modern issue.

Pesach is a particularly appropriate time to consider questions of slavery. During this holiday we encourage you to think deeply about the Jewish people’s history of oppression. It is this history that positions us to uniquely understand the suffering of others still living in bondage. ATZUM’s Task Force on Human Trafficking has developed a guide to help you and your community talk about and address modern slavery.

Click here to download this Passover supplement. – Pesach-and-Modern-Slavery

This holiday let us celebrate the freedom we were granted, by advocating for the freedom of others. Hag Pesach Semach, and a season of freedom from hate and oppression for all Israel and all of humankind.

 

Prostitution in the Country That is meant to be a Light Unto the Nations

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What does it mean to be a Jewish State? Every day, thousands of Israelis and Jews across the world ask themselves this very question. Yet, all too often when answering, we focus on the demographics of a Jewish state as opposed to the values a Jewish state upholds.

When was the last time we asked ourselves, “Would a Jewish state allow men to purchase the bodies of women and children?”

For the past 11 years ATZUM’s Task Force on Human Trafficking (TFHT ) has been working tirelessly to eradicate sex trafficking and prostitution in Israel, and has seen significant changes.  Unlike in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, Israel is no longer a major destination for sex trafficking victims.  Israel has established shelters for victims of trafficking and has passed strong anti-trafficking legislation; however, Israel unfortunately has still failed to address the demand for prostitution.

In the country intended to be a “light unto the nations,” the act of purchasing sexual services is legal, therefore, creating a market in which 15,000 prostituted persons, 5,000 of whom are children, are sold daily.  This, plain and simple, forgoes the strong value of what a Jewish state should stand for.

Every day the Task Force works to raise public awareness about the realties of prostitution, and lobby the Knesset to pass legislation that would criminalize the act and provide social services for those who wish to escape the brutal world of prostitution.

Please join our efforts in strengthening the values of our Jewish state.  Even if you only have a few minutes, you can help. Join Project 119 and receive weekly emails from TFHT staff to send to a Knesset Member.  Copy, paste and send. It’s that easy.

These emails are an essential part of our lobbying campaign and encourage the MKs to advance legislation proven to drastically reduce the number of people in prostitution. 

To learn how you can help, click here to join Project 119.  We implore you to think about what a Jewish state looks like, and to work with us to ensure that Israel realizes the dream that it was founded upon.