Woman says she was fired from Jewish group for not being Jewish enough
Published May 31, 2016
(JTA) — A woman is suing a Jewish non-profit health organization for wrongful termination, claiming she was let go because she was not Jewish enough.
Helaine Dominguez, 69, was the director of medical services for the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services for almost 12 years until she was fired in 2013. She alleges that her new boss, Avrohom Adler, sought to cultivate a more religiously observant staff, according to the New York Post.
“Immediately after his appointment, Adler began a crusade to ensure that staff in the departments reporting to him were comprised of Orthodox or highly observant Jews,” Dominguez says in a Manhattan federal court claim. He “advanced the careers of younger employees who shared his level of faith.”
Dominguez had gone on leave to care for a son who had stomach surgery, the Post reported. When she returned, she was allegedly told by Adler that the organization was “going in a new direction” and let go.
Dominguez is seeking reinstatement in her job and unspecified damages. The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services did not comment on the case.
