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Temple Beth El Blog

Good News for Refugee Resettlement

05/18/2021 08:36:04 PM

May18

Finally, some good news on refugee admissions to the United States and for refugee resettlement efforts in Madison. On May 3, President Biden officially raised the refugee admissions cap for this fiscal year from an all-time low of 15,000 to 62,500.

HIAS is a Jewish community organization that support refugees and asylum-seekers around the world. Mark Hetfield, HIAS president and CEO, commended the Biden administration for taking this long-overdue action and acknowledging the vocal public support for refugee resettlement.

“No act is more American or more Jewish than welcoming the stranger,” he said. “We’re excited to see President Biden start to rebuild refugee resettlement. We know there are long months of work ahead to fully restore the resettlement program. As the Jewish refugee organization that has long been the U.S. government’s partner in refugee resettlement, HIAS and our network of partners across the country are ready and eager to help however we can.”

Locally, the refugee resettlement program for Jewish Social Services of Madison moved a family of four from Iraq into an apartment in early May, and a family of five from the Congo is expected to arrive mid-month. Said Sherie Sondel, who coordinates TBE’s refugee volunteers: “We hopefully will be receiving many more arrivals now. We look forward to meeting them and helping them settle into their new homes.”

To make donations of furniture and other household goods to the Resettlement Program please contact OpenDoorsDonations@gmail.com. If you would like to participate in the new JSS refugee mentorship program, see here. For more information, please contact Sherie Sondel.

April 26, 2024 18 Nisan 5784