Hadassah Chicago-North Shore Presents Human Sex Trafficking Panel on Sunday, January 31 in Glencoe

CHICAGO - Jan. 25, 2016 - PRLog -- Hadassah Chicago-North Shore, in conjunction with January National Human Trafficking Month, presents an advocacy and action seminar program, ”Sex Trafficking: Surprise, It's In Your Community, Too!” from 4-6 PM on Sunday, January 31, 2016 at North Shore Congregation Israel, 1185 Sheridan Road, Glencoe, IL.  Seminar panelists include: Anita Alvarez, Cook County State's Attorney; Cara Smith, Chief Strategist for the Cook County Sheriff's Office; Brenda Myers-Powell, former sex trafficking victim and co-founder of Dreamcatcher Foundation; and panel moderator Heather Ross, JCAST (Jewish Coalition Against Sex Trafficking).  Seminar co-sponsors include: Jewish Child & Family Services; National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW); Decalogue Society of Lawyers; JCAST (Jewish Coalition Against Sex Trafficking); The Ark; RESPONSE Center; and SHALVA. Admission is free to the public, refreshments will be served and baby-sitting services provided.  RSVP required at 847.205.1900 or chicago-northshore@hadassah.org.

According to US State Department statistics, Human Trafficking is a $32 billion industry annually and the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprise. This event is designed to raise a collective Jewish voice in the Chicagoland Area during January Human Trafficking Awareness Month.  Chicago-North Shore-Hadassah joins Hadassah national and regional efforts to energize grassroots involvement, activate the Jewish community to speak out about the commercial and sexual exploitation of men, women, and children in the United States and enlist policymakers and grassroots activists on the federal and state level to do their part to end human trafficking.

Luisa Ellenbogen, President, Hadassah Chicago-North Shore, states, “Human Trafficking is a scourge that affects every city and community in the U.S., and women and minors are the most vulnerable victims. We are honored to raise awareness of the persistent problem of human trafficking in the United States and empower the Jewish community and others to fight back. Combating trafficking must be a priority at the national, state and local levels.  Our goal is to empower Hadassah members and others in the Chicagoland Jewish community with the resources to highlight this critical human rights issue utilizing social media.”

Hadassah Chicago North-Shore, founded in 1928 and representing 11,000 members in the Greater Chicagoland Area, is located at Joseph & Mae Gray Hadassah House, Suite #800, Northbrook, IL   60062; Telephone: 847.205-1900; email: Chicago-northshore@hadassah.org; or visit http://www.hadassah.org/regions/chicago-north-shore/.

Hadassah is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 330,000 members, associates and supporters across the country, Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as medical care and research, women's empowerment, and the security of Israel. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's (HMO) two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit www.hadassah.org.