Zachary Raney came home from Rosh Hashanah services at Judea Reform Congregation in Durham, North Carolina with a light in his eyes. His rabbi, Larry Bach, had given a sermon about the refugee crisis in Syria and how thousands of children were being affected. As Jews, Rabbi Bach said, we have an obligation to help.
In Ohio, despite Gov. John Kasich’s anti-refugee stance, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson issued a statement saying, "the City of Cleveland has always opened her arms to refugees, regardless of where they are from." The Cleveland City Council also weighed in, passing an emergency resolution “to reiterate that all refugees, regardless of faith or country of origin are welcome in the City of Cleveland.”
In Ohio, despite Gov. John Kasich’s anti-refugee stance, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson issued a statement saying, "the City of Cleveland has always opened her arms to refugees, regardless of where they are from." The Cleveland City Council also weighed in, passing an emergency resolution “to reiterate that all refugees, regardless of faith or country of origin are welcome in the City of Cleveland.”
Before September 2, refugees were one more important issue on a long list of social ills, but after that day, there was a great outpouring of Jewish interest and communal support for refugees. Congregations, individuals, schools, organizations -- everyone wanted to know how they could help, and especially how they could support the resettlement of Syrian refugees in their communities.
Because, as President Obama said, “Hanukkah is a chance for us to remember not only ancient miracles, but modern-day miracles” he invited Manny Lindenbaum, who escaped Poland just days before the Nazis arrived, to light the candles at the annual White House Hanukkah celebration, along with his granddaughter Lauren.
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, vice president for community engagement at HIAS, appeared on The Takeaway with John Hockenberry to discuss the surge in nationalist and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks.
Randa Alsafi, who is now a case manager for JFCS East Bay, came to the United States as an immigrant from Syria in 2003. “I am proud to serve newly arrived refugees, helping people from traumatic situations be able to live in a safer place,” Alsafi said.
“More than 1,000 rabbis in the United States signed onto a letter urging elected officials in the country to ‘exercise moral leadership for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program’,” as The Washington Post reports today.
A new report released by UNHCR calls attention to the growing plight of women in Central America and the forces that are causing them to flee from their home countries in ever increasing numbers.
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