In the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, St. Louisans from three faith communities came together to welcome a family of evacuees and help them get settled in the United States.
Over 450 communities and nearly 500 individuals across five continents heeded the call to dedicate a Shabbat to affirming their support for refugees and other displaced people.
For tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees, the clock is ticking to apply for asylum before their temporary status of humanitarian parole expires. By connecting evacuees with pro bono lawyers, the Pro Se+ project has helped many navigate this process more smoothly.
The Biden administration’s new Welcome Corps initiative represents a breakthrough in advancing private refugee sponsorship in the United States — but is by no means the first program of its kind in North America. The American initiative, according to HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield, in fact drew inspiration from a similar program in Canada.
HIAS Israel awarded 44 scholarships this year to student immigrants.
The winners came from Ethiopia, France, the United States, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Ecuador. For many of the students, the $2,500 scholarship enables them to complete another year in school — whether college, graduate, or doctoral level.
The annual event, taking place in communities around the world February 3-4, invites communities and individuals to dedicate a Shabbat to affirming their support for refugees and other displaced people.
A new report by HIAS and Right to Protection (R2P) found that, while the European Union (EU)’s landmark decision to invoke the Temporary Protection Directive granted rights and status to at least 4.9 million people, many non-Ukrainians fleeing Ukraine did not get the same support.
In an appearance on “CNN Newsroom” on Friday morning, HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield praised the Welcome Corps, a new Biden administration initiative that allows Americans to privately sponsor refugees from around the world. The initiative resembles what HIAS has been doing through its own Welcome Circles, starting with Afghan evacuees in 2021.
Welcome Corps, the first U.S. government program supporting private refugee sponsorship in nearly 40 years, will allow Americans to privately sponsor refugees from around the world.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, HIAS committed considerable resources and expertise toward assisting clients displaced by the conflict, which has triggered one of the world’s largest refugee crises. On the eve of the war’s anniversary, HIAS’ efforts have been recognized: We are among the Jewish activists and organizations honored by this year’s Genesis Prize (also known as the “Jewish Nobel”) for working to uphold Ukraine’s independence and alleviate the suffering of the People of Ukraine.
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