8 The Gazette, Thursday June 19, 2014

A controversial new charity

has been launched to serve
people who want to leave the
Orthodox Jewish Haredi
community in Stamford Hill.
Mavar, which does not re-
veal where is is based, says it
has been set up by people
from various Jewish back-
grounds to help members of
the Haredi community seek
information about the out-
side world through a profes-
sional, confidential and im-
partial mentoring service.
It claims that many in the
community face a lack of ba-
sic non-religious education, a
limited knowledge of Eng-
lish, poor understanding of
behavioural norms in the
secular world and a lack of
skills and qualifications for
employment.
Minority
But one of Britains most
influential Jewish faith lead-
ers, Stamford Hill rabbi Ab-
raham Pinter, told the Ga-
zette that only a small
minority of the Haredi com-
munity wanted to leave and
many more wanted to join.
One of Mavars objectives
has been to develop relation-
ships with social service and
care agencies, including Job-
Centres, local authority
housing departments and
Citizens Advice Bureau staff
to help people become inde-
pendent.
Mavars director, who said
she did not wish to be named
for fear of repercussions,
said: Were not interested in
converting Haredim to a sec-
ular way of life.
Were simply here to
make the transition less
traumatic for those who
choose to engage with some
aspect of the wider world.
Were informational, not di-
rectional.
Our role is to help people
realise their dreams in a safe
and supported environment,
and in the full knowledge
that their identities will re-
main anonymous. No one
should feel alone or adrift.
Every human being is en-
titled to have aspirations and
feel that the journey they
wish to make in life is possi-
ble. Were here to hold their
hand on that journey.
The charity is helping a
woman called Sally who left
her husband and daughter to
adjust to a new life outside
the community.
Sally, who would not re-
veal her surname, told the
Gazette: After being trapped
for so long in an arranged
marriage feeling that Ive got
so much more potential in
life and wanting to make my
own choices, I decided that I
want out.
The main difficulties
have been finding a means of
supporting myself, learning
about a new culture and life-
style, losing all family and
friends, and struggling with
my child being alienated
from me by my former com-
munity.
Guidance
Mavar has supported me
through a mentor who has
given me professional guid-
ance about how to enrol on
courses, find jobs, put togeth-
er a CV, find housing, sort
out bills and paperwork and,
in general, plan out a struc-
tural guide for the long
term.
But Mr Pinter, a spokes-
man for the Orthodox Jewish
community once described
as Britains eighth most in-
fluential Jew, said: I think
faith is something you cant
take for granted.
I thank God that Im able
to have faith. But I recognise
there are some people who
dont have that and I have to
respect that.
We do have a small minor-
ity who choose to opt out and
thats their choice but there
are many more who choose
to opt in.
Charity aims to help Haredi who break away
People leaving traditional Jewish community offered tips on jobs and independent living
by Syma Mohammed
syma.mohammed@archant.co.uk
I Members of the Haredi Jewish community outside the New Synagogue in Stamford Hill