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In October 2021, JFS of Greenwich responded to a nationwide call to assist the people of Afghanistan. Through the Afghan Placement Assistance Program, 75,000 people awaited resettlement at army bases around the U.S. Despite being one of the smallest affiliates in the nation, we were one of only four agencies to become a temporary refugee resettlement agency. JFS said ‘yes’ to supporting people from an entirely different culture, religion and region -- we had to play a pivotal role in changing the trajectory of life for people displaced by violence and war.
My life has been profoundly changed by our work with thousands of refugees and immigrants, who are more similar to us than they are different. They are families with the same hopes and dreams we all hold. Most never anticipated their plight as refugees. I see myself in the Ukrainian mother who carried her two children on her shoulders across the Rio Grande when she was denied entry at the U.S. border. I see myself in the Afghan mother of two boys, still trapped in Afghanistan, waiting to be reunited with her children here in the U.S. There are hundreds of others in whose eyes I imagine myself.
Recently, we heard the Bishop of Washington D.C., Reverend Mariann Budde, call for mercy, compassion and respect for all human beings, regardless of their circumstances, politics, or citizenship. Likewise, the Jewish Torah commands us numerous times to welcome the strangers among us. This concept is reflected in the mission and values of JFS of Greenwich:
"We respond to existing and emerging needs of individuals and families of all backgrounds, by providing accessible, expert social services to promote self-sufficiency and resilience, and to enhance quality of life in our surrounding community; JFS is guided by the principles of tikkun olam, repairing and improving the world, and hachnasat orchim, welcoming the stranger with kindness."
I ask you to help us fulfill our mission by stepping up in any way you can, on behalf of the most vulnerable in our community. Bishop Budde spoke of “unity” – together we can unite with the intention to minimize the suffering of families already living here, individuals deserving of compassion and care.
Now more than ever, we need your support to provide essential legal services for our immigrant clients, not funded by grants. Last year 1024 clients were assisted by the JFS legal team at little or no cost. Your generous donations will support our attorneys who represent JFS immigrant families in their quest for U.S. citizenship.
Click here to view Bishop Budde’s speech.
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