National Council of Jewish Women
1707 L Street NW, Suite 950
Washington, DC 20036-4206

Contact: Amanda Lang
Director of Marketing and Communications
212 870-2732 alang@njcw.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jewish Community Releases Statement of Values on Human Trafficking

January 11, 2018 — Today, on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights joined fifteen additional national and local Jewish organizations to issue a statement of guiding values on ending human trafficking, on behalf of the Jewish Coalition Against Trafficking.

The statement cites the ancient Jewish journey from slavery to freedom as a basis of the moral imperative to ensure that every person is free and that Jews throughout the country commit to supporting policies to protect those vulnerable to trafficking. It points to the upcoming reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as other pending federal and state legislation, as key opportunities to provide additional funding for social services that support survivors and address the root causes of why countless people — both American citizens and migrant workers — end up trapped in slavery.

The full text of the statement is available online, and features ten key values.

Said the members of the coalition:

“We believe that every human being is created B’tzelem elohim, in the image of the God, and is deserving of dignity and respect. Not only must we uphold everyone’s sacred right to bodily autonomy and self-determination, we must ensure that American policy on trafficking does not re-victimize trafficking survivors by treating them as criminals.

“It is especially important that the Jewish community directly articulate to our elected officials the need for survivor-led policies that rooted in the articulated needs and experiences of trafficking survivors. In today’s political climate, it is especially critical that we as faith leaders ensure that Congress does not use anti-trafficking legislation to chip away at reproductive rights or create provisions that allow service providers to opt out of serving trafficking survivors because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, race, or immigration status.”

The Jewish Coalition Against Trafficking, which is co-chaired by NCJW and T’ruah, is an umbrella coalition of national Jewish organizations with campaigns to end human trafficking, that have come together to strengthen our collective voices to achieve concrete policy change on a national level.

The National Council of Jewish Women is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. More information on Facebook and on Twitter at @NCJW.

T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights brings together rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism, together with all members of the Jewish community, to act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. More information on Facebook and on Twitter at @TruahRabbis.