Author: Ayala Rosenthal, School of Social Work
Contact email: AYR31@pitt.edu
Presenter Bio:
Ayala is completing her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh and is scheduled
to graduate in May. She is spending her last semester in Israel, engaged in field work that
addresses the unique mental health challenges that youth and young adults are facing in the
area. She enjoys social work research, advocacy, empowering youth voice, and integrating
creativity into direct practice. Ayala was born and raised in Squirrel Hill, and has always been
actively involved with the local Orthodox Jewish community. In the long-term, she hopes to help
advance culturally sensitive resources built to support this underserved population.
Poster 1
Title: Crossroads Jerusalem
Keywords: Adolescent, youth, young adult, mental health service, non-profit, safety, therapeutic
Brief Description:
Crossroads Jerusalem is a nonprofit organization serving vulnerable English-speaking youth
and young adults in Jerusalem. The agency supports immigrant and international adolescents
facing challenges such as family conflict, social isolation, school disengagement, economic
hardship, national trauma, and mental-health concerns.
Crossroads operates through a social work model spanning micro, mezzo, and macro practice.
Staff conduct active street outreach to engage youth who may not otherwise seek services,
inviting them into a drop-in center that provides a consistent, safe, and nonjudgmental
environment. Once engaged, adolescents can access individual counseling, crisis intervention,
case management, educational support, employment assistance, and referrals to community
resources, alongside structured recreational and expressive programming. These services,
offered free of charge, aim to promote both immediate stabilization and long-term development.
This placement advances human flourishing by addressing safety, belonging, and functional
capacity. Supportive relationships with social workers foster trust, dignity, and connection, while
practical supports—such as help with education, employment, and navigating
services—promote competence and self-efficacy. Through this integrated approach, Crossroads
helps adolescents move from crisis toward stability, autonomy, and meaningful participation in
their communities.
Poster 2
Title: Orthodox Jewish Adolescents’ Exposure to Explicit Content and Its Emotional Impact
Keywords: Adolescence, teen, pornography, shame, regret, Orthodox Jewish
Brief Description:
Orthodox Jewish communities approach sexuality within a framework that emphasizes holiness,
privacy, and marital context. As a result, conversations about sex are often postponed until late
adolescence or premarital education. At the same time, the digital environment has made
exposure to sexually explicit material difficult for adolescents to avoid. This project examined the
prevalence of pornography exposure among Orthodox Jewish adolescents and the emotional
responses associated with it, with particular attention to shame.
Using a descriptive cross-sectional needs-assessment design, an anonymous online survey
was distributed to individuals who identified as Orthodox Jews during adolescence (ages
12–19). The study included 344 respondents and measured exposure frequency, mode of first
exposure, and emotional responses. Approximately 70% of participants reported exposure to
pornography during adolescence, most commonly through internet searches. Among those
exposed, 91% reported experiencing shame, often alongside guilt and regret.
These findings suggest that many adolescents encounter explicit material without culturally
acceptable frameworks for understanding their experiences. Developing compassionate,
culturally sensitive educational responses may reduce shame and isolation while supporting
adolescent well-being and strengthening the conditions necessary for human flourishing.