Blog

Recently, some of our friends and colleagues at The Temple on Peachtree approached us with a compelling idea. They invited us to host Shabbat Services together this week in honor of a cause that our People hold very dearly. Of course, there are so many issues for which our communities can come together, but very few have touched us all so intimately, whether directly or indirectly. THIS Friday evening, as we mark Refugee Shabbat, we will celebrate and highlight the work of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (commonly known as HIAS). 

As you may know, HIAS was created in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. In one way or another, HIAS has impacted the story of almost every Jewish family in the United States. As Jews fled Europe in 1904, HIAS created departments on Ellis Island that provided translation services, helped immigrants through medical screenings and fought for the rights of Jews  to prevent deportations. From railroad tickets to kosher meals, from helping people relocate to locating long lost relatives, HIAS did everything in its power to ensure that Jewish refugees could find a safe harbor in America. 

And so, we unite this Shabbat to remind ourselves from where we came, and to also remind ourselves that there are STILL people in our world and our country who have no place to go. 

This Shabbat, we put aside any political differences and take a moment to reflect upon this reality. We take a first step in internalizing the crucial lesson of the upcoming festival of Passover: We are not free until we are all free, and that we must all view ourselves as having personally experienced Egypt. On this Shabbat, we highlight the work our Sinai Family has done for refugees and immigrants just as we remind ourselves that we too were once slaves. 

Along with The Temple, we invite you to join us in thinking about the refugees and asylum seekers in our midst. We reflect upon those in our own lives who have fled persecution. We celebrate the work of HIAS and encourage you to learn and advocate here: https://www.hias.org/get-involved/take-action. This Shabbat, we pray for a time when all can enjoy the blessings of a sukkat shalom, a shelter of peace. 

*Please note that Shabbat this week is at an earlier time, 6:00 pm and the Zoom webinar can be accessed here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87142960233