Join HIAS and T'ruah in sending a piece of matzah to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC to let them know that American Jews want Israel to do the right thing for these survivors of violence and terror.
Interning with HIAS this Spring has been eye opening in many ways, but nothing has struck me more than the contrast between the extreme struggles refugees face around the world and the limited response to their plight here at home. In early March, I joined the HIAS Board of Directors for an advocacy training on Capitol Hill followed by meetings with several key Members of Congress.
Interning with HIAS this Spring has been eye opening in many ways, but nothing has struck me more than the contrast between the extreme struggles refugees face around the world and the limited response to their plight here at home. In early March, I joined the HIAS Board of Directors for an advocacy training on Capitol Hill followed by meetings with several key Members of Congress.
With over 16 million refugees worldwide—51 million if we include internally displaced persons—and international crises escalating, Passover this year should be a time to remember our history and recommit to protecting those who flee persecution today.
Last month, while visiting Nairobi, Kenya to train HIAS local staff on resettling vulnerable refugees, I met “Sylvia”, a refugee living in a HIAS safehouse on the outskirts of the city. For refugees like Sylvia, who have exceptionally serious protection concerns, safehouses provide critical short-term security while they await resettlement—often their only option for long-term safety and freedom from persecution.
Last month, while visiting Nairobi, Kenya to train HIAS local staff on resettling vulnerable refugees, I met “Sylvia”, a refugee living in a HIAS safehouse on the outskirts of the city. For refugees like Sylvia, who have exceptionally serious protection concerns, safehouses provide critical short-term security while they await resettlement—often their only option for long-term safety and freedom from persecution.
For "Adam”, a 31-year-old asylum seeker in Israel who fled Eritrea after being incarcerated and tortured for leaving military service without permission, life has been filled with uncertainty almost as long as he can remember. HIAS' recently launched pro bono legal aid project helped him begin 2015 with a renewed sense of freedom.
A twist of fate (and timing) led to me spending my first week as Policy Counsel for HIAS in Jordan as a member of a delegation from Refugee Council USA. The trip, which was intended as a chance to learn about resettlement for Syrian refugees, became my crash course in the realities of the Syrian refugee crisis.
Three years ago, Natia Kalandia's dream of becoming a psychologist seemed like just that, a dream. She had passed her university entrance exams, but following the death of her father and with her mother unemployed, there was no money to pay for tuition. Today, thanks to a scholarship from HIAS, Natia is back at Tbilisi’s Ilia State University and making progress toward her degree.
Three years ago, Natia Kalandia's dream of becoming a psychologist seemed like just that, a dream. She had passed her university entrance exams, but following the death of her father and with her mother unemployed, there was no money to pay for tuition. Today, thanks to a scholarship from HIAS, Natia is back at Tbilisi’s Ilia State University and making progress toward her degree.
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