Shomrei Assisting a Sixth Family

Shomrei Refugee Assistance Group, August 10 Update

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Here are the important announcements for this week:

We are excited to announce that we are now assisting a sixth family in Elizabeth!  Our summer camp fundraising resulted in 8 children attending two-week sessions at the YMCAs in Wayne and Elizabeth. We are collecting school supplies for the families we are assisting. On Sept 30, we will be hosting a luncheon in the Sukkah catered by Syrian refugee families.

Mohamed, Lamis and their 14-year-old daughter, Shahed, are from Damascus and arrived in the United States about a year ago via Egypt.

Meet Mohamed, Lamis and Shahed:

Syrian family

The family is trying to furnish a new apartment and is in need of furniture and kitchen/cooking ware.  If you have any items that you would like to donate, please send photos to Andy (email hidden; JavaScript is required).

Our summer camp fundraising resulted in 8 children attending two-week sessions at the YMCAs in Wayne and Elizabeth. Pictured below are Shomrei members Judith Antelman, Gail Stocks, and Andy Silver visiting the Wayne Y camp this past week, with: Sikandar Khan and Jodi Paroff from GERA (an organization in Paterson that was instrumental in arranging our participation in the camp); Jim Andreano from North Jersey Interfaith Cares (another organization that donated to support the summer camp); Laura Tiedge, Executive Director of the Wayne Y, and some of the happy campers.  Pictured separately are this week’s Campers of the Week!

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There are 10 school-age children in the six families that we are assisting in Elizabeth, and they need help in obtaining school supplies for the coming year.  If you would like to help, please sign up to purchase the specific needed items that are listed at the following site: http://signup.com/login/entry/1570223774770500126.  Once you sign up for and purchase items, please drop them off in the box in Shomrei’s lobby.

We have been approached by North Jersey Interfaith Cares to join their network of interfaith organizations helping Syrian refugees.  If you would like to be the liaison with the organization, please contact Andy (email hidden; JavaScript is required).

Save the date! — Sunday, September 30, at noon.  Partake in a triple mitzvah by joining us for a luncheon in our congregational Sukkah! We will be

1. inviting, as our guests,  our neighbors  from  Central Presbyterian Church to thank them for having hosted us at their church last year during our time of need (the Great Building Flood)

2. providing an opportunity for newly resettled refugees from Syria to earn money by catering a meal for us

3. enjoying a meal in our Shomrei Sukkah with our community.

The holiday of Sukkot, by calling us to dwell in a flimsy shelter open to all, embraces our shared sense of vulnerability, while also celebrating our ability to be generous and sharing.

Please mark your calendars and watch for more details in the next couple of weeks about this triple-mitzvah event!

Thank you for your continued support!

Regards,
Judith, Mike, and Andy

Andy (email hidden; JavaScript is required)
Mike (email hidden; JavaScript is required)
Judith (email hidden; JavaScript is required)

What do you think?