Career Services in the Jewish Immigrant and Haredi Communities of NYC

The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is an organization representing and coordinating the efforts of Jewish Community Councils citywide. It advocates for the needs of the poor and near-poor through provision of social services and legislative advocacy. The Capstone team worked with Met Council to identify the career service needs of the near-poor Jewish immigrant and Haredi communities in five geographic areas: Bensonhurst, Boro Park, Flatbush, Queens and Williamsburg. The team focused on providing a demographic picture of the communities and an environmental scan of government, the nonprofit sector, and current career service programs in these five JCCs. Methods included weighted statistical analysis of United States census data and The Jewish Community Study of 2002, as well as key informant interviews to provide both quantitative and qualitative data on the areas of study. Preliminary findings include noticeable communal trends in education and employment, as well as a need for systematic coordination of services.