They’ve come on planes and trains, on foot and in little boats that barely float. They’ve crossed mountains and seas, swum rivers and waded through streams. They’ve ducked under wire and dashed across open fields. They are the millions of immigrants and refugees who have sought a safe place for themselves and their loved ones and who continue to seek safety and peace.
Today there are more than 60 million refugees, displaced people who have been forced to cross national borders and can’t return home safely. That’s the largest number since World War II when the march of refugees changed the face of the world.
Tuesday, June 20, marks World Refugee Day, established by the United Nations in 2000 and first celebrated in 2001 to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 document protecting refugees after World War II. The day is celebrated in more than 100 countries with activities to raise awareness and to raise funds to help refugees with housing, food, and safety.
The faces and countries from which the world’s refugees come may have changed but the fear and anguish are the same. According to the United Nations, every minute 24 people become refugees as they flee war or persecution.
Jews have always been in the forefront of the refugee rescue and support movement as this video produced by HIAS shows.
Shomrei proudly has its Refugee Assistance Group which is raising funds to send children to summer camp and is also helping a family in Elizabeth. A Syrian Supper Club is scheduled for October.
I – along with Nick Levitin, Alan Lippel and Rabbi Greenstein (and hopefully more people in the future) – am personally privileged to be involved in a local (New Jersey, Essex County, Montclair) effort to help refugees and immigrants, especially those undocumented. Over the past few weeks, Faith in New Jersey has intensified its efforts to grow a strong network and to prepare a “network of protection,” if needed. That means providing a physical sanctuary space and support to sustain those in sanctuary.
The organization’s website says this about the group’s goals “Faith in New Jersey (formerly PICO New Jersey) is a new and growing multi-faith and multi-racial network of faith leaders and faith communities working together to advance a social and economic justice agenda at the local, state and federal level. Faith in New Jersey’s mission is to develop grassroots community leaders, analyze the policies that shape our communities, and mobilize faith voices and faith voters to effectively act on the prophetic call to build the Beloved Community.”
Loosely affiliated with the PICO National Network which has 1200 congregations in 17 states working to form congregation- community action units, Faith in New Jersey is teaching faith-based groups how to galvanize their congregations and providing the tools to create a more just society.
Currently, the organization is training representatives from congregations – many of which are synagogues – in ways to help undocumented immigrants who are targeted by ICE. This may include asylum and other supportive actions. These people are not the “bad hombres” who, of course, do exist. They are hard-working, often long-term, residents of communities in the US with American born children and grandchildren. They are people who may slip at times but who are basically law-abiding, productive members of their communities.
Our Jewish literature is filled with stories of immigrants and refugees. Happily most of the stories end well with positive accomplishments and contributions to American life.
Here is a selection of books from the Lampert Library that relate to this week’s article:
Apelfeld, The Man Who Never Stopped Sleeping: a novel
Avraham, Treacherous Journey: my escape from Ethiopia
Beckman, When They Come for Us, We’ll be Gone: the epic struggle to save Soviet Jewry
Borden, The Journey that Saved Curious George: the true wartime escape of Margret and H.A. Rey (J)
Gidwitz, The Inquisitor’s Tale, or, the Three Magical Children and their holy dog (J)
Golinkin, A Backpack, a bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka: a memoir
Gruber, Haven: the unknown story of 1000 World War II refugees
Olgilvie, A Refuge Denied: the St. Louis passengers and the Holocaust
Tokayer, Pepper, Silk and Ivory: amazing stories of Jews and the Far east
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