Footsteps is a not-for-profit organization based in New York City that provides educational, vocational, and social support to people who have left or want to leave a Haredi or Hasidic Jewish community in the United States.
Footsteps offers educational, vocational, professional, social, and legal support to individuals transitioning from ultra-Orthodox communities into mainstream society. According to its website, many people from the Haredi and Hasidic communities who make this shift often feel like “cultural immigrants,” experiencing disorientation and isolation, alongside a lack of practical and marketable skills. Founded in December 2003, Footsteps provides resources to help those navigating this transition. Those who leave these communities often refer to themselves as “off the derech” (OTD), a term originally used dismissively by members of the ultra-Orthodox communities but now embraced by individuals reclaiming their journey of self-determination.
