JCARR Fundraiser Spring 2023
JCARR: A Passover Appeal
“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:20)
In a few weeks we will celebrate Passover. We will tell the story of our ancestors living in Egypt as strangers and suffering oppression at the hands of Pharoah. Passover is a time when we reflect upon our freedom so many years ago, and also an opportunity to consider the plight of refugees today. Like many in our families who first came to the United States, today’s refugees have fled war, conflict, and persecution because of their race, religion, social group, or political opinion.
In 2015, Congregation B’nai Jacob joined with other area synagogues and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven to respond to the refugee crisis. JCARR, the Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement, is a community co-sponsorship group working with IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services). It has resettled eight families from six countries. JCARR provides initial support as families work toward independence, assisting with housing, education, social services, healthcare, employment and more. An all-volunteer organization, JCARR’s funding comes from synagogue support, individual donations, fundraising, grants, and government reimbursements. The Jewish Federation does not provide financial assistance.
This year, as Passover approaches, members of B’nai Jacob who wish to support JCARR can contribute online through this dedicated form on the CBJ website, or by sending a check to the synagogue office with JCARR in the memo line. These donations will be combined into a single check, sent by B’nai Jacob to the Jewish Federation, JCARR’s fiduciary. While many of you have been generous to JCARR as individuals, we have never shown our support collectively. This is our opportunity to show that our community stands with refugees and supports the work of JCARR.
Support for refugees – the strangers living among us -- is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. Thank you for your generosity to JCARR this Passover.
