Whether through Jewish sources, holiday celebrations, or simply deepening your understanding of refugee issues, we hope you find these resources both meaningful and useful. They are designed to support learning, reflection, and action rooted in Jewish values. Whether you’re a rabbi, lay leader, educator, or someone exploring these topics for the first time, there’s something here for you.
Learn more about our Jewish educational resources below.
Resources
Jewish tradition is so deeply interwoven with the commandment to care for the stranger that this emphasis often appears within our most central prayers. These creative interpretations of Jewish liturgy provide opportunities to raise up themes that already permeate our rituals.
HIAS has developed a comprehensive mitzvah project guide on the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger designed to fulfill many synagogue requirements for a mitzvah project. We offer two versions: a self-contained toolkit for parents and students and a group curriculum for educators of this age group. Both versions provide important learning, context and reflection to the core volunteer work. All students who complete the requirements and submit the completion form will receive a formal certificate of recognition from HIAS.
These holiday resources draw out the themes of each Jewish holiday connected to the issues facing refugees and other displaced people. The content is designed to support clergy, lay leaders and individuals in your preparations for marking holidays with an emphasis on welcoming the stranger. We provide a range of materials from a full HIAS Haggadah and Sukkot decorations to holiday-focused text studies and other content.
Jewish sacred texts have an abundance of references to welcoming the stranger. Whether you are seeking a broad compilation of texts that emphasize this value, or you want a more in-depth study of a particular text, HIAS offers both. You can use citations of these texts in resources that you develop, or you may find our prefabricated text studies useful for study in congregational learning and other small group settings.
HIAS has created age-appropriate curated reading and viewing lists about the experience of migration, forced displacement, and restarting life in a new home. These lists are not exhaustive. Rather, they provide a vetted starting point for topical content for people of all ages.
Join TogetherCongregational Opportunities
HIAS can work with you directly to help determine how your congregation can help refugees in ways that are tailored to your community.
Global CommunityRefugee Shabbat
HIAS’ Refugee Shabbat is an opportunity to recognize the profound impact of the global Jewish movement working on behalf of displaced people.
Get InvolvedSupport Our Immigrant Neighbors
Get involved to support our immigrant neighbors locally and across the U.S.
Together, we can help create a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.
Your gift will help us provide vital services to refugees and asylum seekers and advocate for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.