Five Ways Jewish Communities Can Support Refugees and Immigrants

Since entering office nearly two years ago, the second Trump administration has fundamentally dismantled the U.S. immigration system, making it harder for people seeking safety to find welcome in the United States. Yet Jewish communities across the country are refusing to stand idly by, working together to support refugees and immigrants.

For more than a century, HIAS has worked with Jewish communities to welcome the stranger, and we won’t stop now. Guided by our values, we are taking action to support our neighbors and build a more welcoming future.

Below are five ways you and your community can join us and make a difference for refugees and immigrants in the United States.

Advocate for refugee and immigrant rights

The Trump administration has effectively paused refugee resettlement, restricted access to asylum and due process, expanded immigration enforcement and deportations, and reduced legal pathways for immigration to the United States. In the face of this assault on refugees and immigrant rights, Jewish communities have an important role to play in advocating for policies that protect families and uphold human dignity.

We need your help to apply pressure on our elected officials to push back on harmful policies that are ripping families apart and sending people back to danger. Take action today with our advocacy toolkit and make sure to sign our latest actions.

Donate to support HIAS’ programs for refugees and immigrants

For generations, Jews have been displaced by violence and persecution and needed to find safety in new communities. While not every Jewish family shares the same journey, many of us understand what it means to seek refuge and opportunity. By supporting HIAS, we can help ensure that refugees and immigrants facing uncertainty today receive the same chance to rebuild their lives.

In 1939, when Ilse was 11 years old, she escaped Nazi-occupied Austria on a Kindertransport to England, never seeing her parents and sister again. Over the course of her life, Ilse has worked tirelessly to better the lives of others, never forgetting what it felt like to be without a home and having to make a life for herself as a young immigrant without the usual support in a new country. Ilse’s commitment to helping refugees, immigrants, and other people in need inspired her legacy endowment to the HIAS Foundation.

Today, supporters like Ilse help ensure that HIAS can continue providing critical assistance, legal support, and pathways to safety for people seeking refuge in the U.S.

Make a gift today to help HIAS continue our fight and uphold the Jewish tradition of welcoming and protecting refugees and immigrants. Or consider funding an endowment with the HIAS Foundation, allowing you to make an impact that lasts not for one or two seasons but for generations to come.

Participate in Refugee Shabbat

HIAS’ Ninth Annual Refugee Shabbat is an opportunity to honor the impact of the global Jewish movement working to support refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people. It is a moment to celebrate our collective efforts, raise awareness, and inspire action within our communities, especially during this challenging time.

Attacks to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and international humanitarian assistance have been severe and far-reaching, threatening support for some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Yet these setbacks have not diminished our resolve. On the contrary, they have strengthened the unwavering commitment of our community to welcome and support those forced to flee.

Sign up here to join us on March 5-6, 2027.

Protect your immigrant neighbors through accompaniment

As communities across the country face the impact of expanded deportation efforts, local organizations are strengthening accompaniment programs to support immigrants navigating an increasingly complex and intimidating immigration system. Accompaniment involves standing alongside immigrants at court hearings, ICE check-ins, and other legal appointments, offering practical support and bearing witness to their experiences.

HIAS is working with partners to map and elevate accompaniment programs already engaging Jewish communities across the United States, while sharing resources and best practices. We have seen firsthand the difference accompaniment can make for immigrant neighbors facing detention, deportation, and other immigration enforcement actions.

Stand alongside your immigrant neighbors and participate in accompaniment today. 

Volunteer with HIAS to support refugees and asylum seekers

Make a difference in the lives of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people by volunteering with HIAS. We welcome individuals with professional expertise, language skills, or a passion for helping newcomers build connections in their communities. Explore opportunities to volunteer with HIAS in New York City, the Washington, D.C. metro area, through resettlement partners nationwide, or by sponsoring a refugee family.

Aliya* is an asylum seeker and single mom from the Uighur community. HIAS connected Aliya to a Welcome Circle at Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) in Brooklyn, who helped her form a social network and arrange childcare for her.

A Welcome Circle is a group of 5-10 individuals who provide financial, resettlement, and emotional support to displaced families and individuals in the United States, with training and oversight from HIAS. Group members lead on different tasks, such as finding housing, signing up for benefits, helping enroll children in school, and assisting adults with job readiness and employment.

Despite living in the U.S. for ten years, Aliya felt isolated. Through CBE’s Welcome Circle, she found a community that helped her navigate daily challenges, build lasting relationships, and feel a greater sense of belonging. Her experience demonstrates how sponsorship can help newcomers move beyond survival and begin to thrive.

Learn more about how to volunteer with HIAS and how your Jewish community can support refugees and asylum seekers.

Whether through advocacy, giving, accompaniment, volunteering, or community engagement, Jewish communities have a vital role to play in ensuring that refugees and immigrants find welcome, safety, and opportunity.