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Sep 15, 2016

VIDEO: HIAS’ Mark Hetfield and Melanie Nezer Brief Foreign Press Members

Ahead of two momentous summits on the global refugee crisis, HIAS CEO and Pres Mark Hetfield and VP of Policy and Advocacy Melanie Nezer briefed foreign press at the New York Foreign Press Center of the U.S. Dept. of State.

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Sep 14, 2016

The World Gathers to Confront the Refugee Crisis: Here’s What You Need to Know

World leaders will convene in New York on September 19 during the UN General Assembly to address the displacement crisis affecting millions of people around the globe. It’s the first time such a high level gathering has ever been held solely to focus on refugee and migration issues. The Jewish community will be watching closely, because today’s refugee law comes directly from our own historical experience as refugees.

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Sep 12, 2016

The Coolest Handbags We’ve Ever Seen Were Made by This LGBT Refugee

Henry started his business with just five hand-sewn tote bags made from pieces of traditional East African fabric. They were an instant hit, and he has been expanding ever since. Over the past 11 months, he has hired 20 LGBT refugees to do piece-work, cutting the fabric he uses to make his bags. By working from home, they stay safe and are still able to earn a living.

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Sep 7, 2016

Syrian Family Lands in Maryland, Gets Big Welcome from Local Synagogue

At 6 p.m. on Thursday evening, Karen Green is abuzz with last minute preparations. In just a few hours, she’ll be at Reagan National airport to meet the Syrian refugee family her congregation has spent the last 10 days anxiously preparing for.

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Sep 6, 2016

From Albany to Kansas City, the Jewish Community Is Stepping Up for Refugees

"Against a backdrop of increased fear and unease about refugees, the American Jewish community has stepped up to the challenge, because we understand what’s at stake. Synagogues in places as varied as Albany, Chicago, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Philadelphia, St. Louis and San Francisco are helping newly-arrived families rebuild their lives in the United States," writes Rabbi Jennie Rosenn.

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Sep 1, 2016

[AUDIO] Resettling Refugees in Pittsburgh, Human to Human

“I don’t know what they’ve been through, but I can relate to them as parents—as human beings.” Leslie Aizenman describes the “low-tech, high-touch process" of resettling refugees in Pittsburgh.

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Aug 31, 2016

HIAS Interns Leave Their Mark

“I was a HIAS U.S. Programs Intern over the summer and honestly had an incredible experience,” said Nasreen Baten-Tschan, one of three summer interns working with the U.S. programs team at HIAS headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

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Aug 29, 2016

Hitting Important Milestone, U.S. Resettles 10,000th Syrian Refugee

The U.S. will reach an important milestone this week for refugees. The Obama Administration announced today that it will meet its goal of welcoming at least 10,000 Syrian refugees before the end of September, part of its response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria created by years of an unrelenting civil war.

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Aug 24, 2016

L.A. Synagogues Going the Distance for Refugees in SoCal

A recent story in Jewish Journal highlighted the efforts of Temple Beth Am in LA to help recently resettled refugees in Southern California. Beth Am, who have joined the HIAS Welcome Campaign, partnered with Modern Orthodox B’nai David-Judea Congregation to collect needed items for newly arrived refugees.

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Aug 19, 2016

TIME: The U.S. Is Failing Central American Refugees

"We must do more to help those seeking asylum—whichever direction they’re fleeing," writes HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield in a newly published opinion piece for TIME.

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