Topic: European Refugee Crisis

Sep 10, 2015

For refugees, the 1951 Convention is Torah. We can get lost in arguing about its meaning and interpretation, but the guiding basic principles and values are very clear. Our obligations toward refugees are the same no matter who they are, no matter who we are, no matter what other countries are doing, or are not doing.

Sep 10, 2015

President Barack Obama has directed his administration to prepare to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees next year, up from 1,000 this past year – but that’s far fewer than the 100,000 Jewish refugee aid organization HIAS wants the U.S. government to resettle, The Jewish Week reports.

Sep 9, 2015

KQED Radio: Should the U.S. Be Doing More to Help Solve the Syrian Refugee Crisis? Sep 09, 2015 HIAS Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Melanie Nezer appeared on San Francisco NPR affiliate KQED's Forum program to discuss U.S. refugee policy. Note: Nezer first appears at 17:15 in the program. European Refugee CrisisRefugee ResettlementSyria

Sep 9, 2015

The Jerusalem Post reached out to Jewish aid organizations across the globe to find out what role they are playing to help refugees from Syria and the region and spoke with HIAS President and CEO Mark J. Hetfield.

Sep 9, 2015

"As the plight of Syrian refugees and their harrowing attempts to enter Europe dominate international media, calls have mounted for the United States to play a greater role in managing the crisis," Karina Piser writes in World Politics Review. “This isn’t how the refugee referral process should be happening,” says Melanie Nezer, vice president of policy and advocacy at HIAS.

Sep 8, 2015

American kids have great opportunities to get involved, thanks to a “robust refugee resettlement program” in the U.S, either through secular programs like the International Rescue Committee, or faith-based groups like the HIAS.

Sep 5, 2015

HIAS President and CEO Mark J. Hetfield discussed the current European refugee crisis and what the US should be doing to help with NPR's Robert Siegel on All Things Considered, Friday September 4.

Jul 15, 2015

Despite almost daily headlines detailing the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean by sea, refugees are still braving the waves in record numbers. Greece, a part of the European Union, is supposed to have an asylum system “harmonized” with the rest of Europe. In practice, though, Greece is about as well integrated with the rest of Europe on the asylum front as it is economically.

Jun 19, 2015

Read HIAS President & CEO Mark Hetfield's Letter to the Editor of The New York Times in response to the June 18 front page story 60 Million People Fleeing Chaotic Lands, U.N. Says.