the nation. The deputy director, Derrick Hamilton, was himself falsely imprisoned for over 20 years and won his own exoneration while helping fellow incarcerated individuals with their cases.
studying abroad for the first time, or new immigrants struggling to adjust to life in Israel, the center has become a valuable resource for those seeking help. The center also serves often-overlooked demographics, such as soldiers and their families struggling with PTSD and war-induced anxieties, lone soldiers and others experiencing conflict- related trauma. Working at the center oers Wurzweiler students the chance to develop their skills through clinical fieldwork placements under the guidance of experienced clinicians. As a result, they build essential expertise while giving back to the community. “Since the war became part of daily life in Israel, we’ve seen a sharp rise in trauma and anxiety cases, particularly those linked to war-related stress,” said Dr. Nechama Munk, co-director of the
Jerusalem Therapy Center: A Vital Resource for Those
Seeking Mental Health Services in Israel
legal education program in scientific evidence designed for practicing attorneys. With the help of world-renowned attorneys and faculty, the center provides unique opportunities for Cardozo students to represent clients and build practical skills for courts, legal negotiations and policy advocacy. For example, in October 2024, the Perlmutter Center successfully attained resen- tencing for a client who needed advanced care. The center has also been working on an actual innocence case that seeks to overturn the conviction of an Ohio man accused of a 1991 murder. He was convicted on only the word of one eyewitness who has since recanted his testimony and admitted to lying on the stand. Despite this, he has not been granted relief. The center’s sta and Cardozo students are continuously working to bring the injustice of the case to the public’s attention. The Perlmutter Center was established through a $15-million philanthropic donation from the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation. Its executive director, Josh Dubin, is one of the preemi- nent civil rights attorneys and legal strategy consultants in
Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice: Seeking Justice for the Wrongfully Incarcerated Students at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law gain hands-on experience through the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice, which seeks justice for individuals wrongfully incarcerated and those serving disproportionate and inequitable sentences. The center was founded on the idea that attorneys who do not understand the proper use of forensic evidence in criminal cases can contribute to wrongful convictions and excessive sentencing that disproportionally aect marginalized communities. The center has two compo- nents. The first, The Perlmut- ter Freedom Clinic at Cardozo Law, teaches students to advocate for clients whose convictions were based on the misuse of forensic evidence. Assisting the center’s attor- neys, students also seek resentencing and clemency for clients with excessively long sentences. The second, The Perlmutter Forensic Science Education Program, features a
A partnership of YU’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work and the social services organization Amudim Israel, the Jerusalem Therapy Center fills a critical need for aordable, English-language mental health services in Israel by providing professional care for English speakers, gap-year students and Israelis. The center is staed by
Jerusalem Therapy Center. “We’ve trained therapists in trauma-informed care and continue providing specialized courses to help our team support clients through these unprecedented times.”
Wurzweiler graduate students, recent graduates and other professionals who specialize in a variety of modalities and concentrations such as addiction, anxiety and trauma. Whether it is serving those suering psychologically from the conflict in Israel, students
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YU Today | Leadership with Purpose
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