Off-road Jews: A Helping Hand for Those Who Stray From the ultra-Orthodox Path

NEW YORK − A spontaneous cheer rose up at the Skyline Hotel when Malkie Schwartz introduced several of her siblings at the 10th anniversary gala celebrating Footsteps, an organization that supports people leaving Haredi communities. Her brothers and sisters were in the audience at the midtown Manhattan venue two weeks ago, but didn’t want to be photographed for fear of repercussions in their own Haredi circles. Many of the 300 people present knew that it was a rare demonstration of public familial support for someone who had left the ultra-Orthodox way of life to go “off the derekh,” or OTD. They appreciated the significance of Schwartz’s siblings supporting their sister as she was honored by the organization she founded.