Topic: Syria

Jun 30, 2016

In a powerful show of support for Syrian refugees, close to 1,000 volunteers gathered in the historic 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan, assembling personal hygiene kits for those who have fled the Syrian civil war. “It made me feel part of a larger community. One that is saying to the recipients of these packages, there are people who care about you. You are not forgotten,” said Laurel Garron, a HIAS volunteer.

Jun 21, 2016

More than 65 million people were displaced by war and persecution by the end of 2015, according to a report released on World Refugee Day by the U.N. refugee agency. Here’s what you need to know.

May 10, 2016

Before she was the face of AT&T and the founder of Can’t Do Nothing, a non-profit dedicated to getting people engaged with the Syrian refugee crisis, Milana Vayntrub was a refugee herself. She explains why she can’t do nothing, and you shouldn’t either.

Apr 20, 2016

Melanie Nezer joined PBS’s Point Taken for a lively debate about whether the U.S. has taken in enough refugees in response to the current crisis.

Mar 31, 2016

HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield attended a conference in Geneva focused on finding placement for Syrian refugees. He reports on the highlights and the missed opportunities.

Mar 29, 2016

In advance of high-level meetings in Geneva on Global Responsibility Sharing through Pathways for Admission of Syrian Refugees, HIAS joined more than a dozen other refugee protection organizations to call upon states to to pledge to achieve the UNHCR target of resettlement and alternative pathways for at least 10 percent of Syria’s nearly five million refugees.

Mar 23, 2016

Who was it that saved the Jews from what seemed like their certain demise? No, it was not an army of valiant men who set off to do battle with Haman, as in many of our other sacred stories. Rather, it was a crafty queen with an ingenious plan who saved the Jews. Queen Esther was her name.

Feb 4, 2016

On February 2, HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield joined members of the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City for a discussion of the ongoing Syrian Refugee Crisis.

Feb 1, 2016

The Baltimore Jewish Times ran a story by reporter Melissa Gerr about the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis on January 29, 2016. The story quotes HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield, who told Gerr, "if people are committed to protect refugees just because they look like they do or worship like they do, that won’t really lead to anybody being protected. So we have to stand up for everybody.”

Jan 13, 2016

"America has been through big changes before ...Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears."