HIAS in the News
Challenges for African Asylum Seekers in Israel — How much has changed?
Posted on Fri, Feb 01, 2013 at 12:15 pm
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism's (RAC) latest blog post is by HIAS' Policy Associate Shaina Ward, who discusses both the current legal and social challenges facing African asylum seekers in Israel and her own experiences with this issue over the past three years.
Jewish groups praise immigration reform proposals
Posted on Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 20:00 pm
The JTA and the Forward today covered the response by Jewish groups to President Obama's immigration reform proposals, quoting HIAS' President & CEO (Interim) Mark Hetfield, who stated that it is time to fix a broken system that is rife with "artificial, technical barriers that deny asylum to persecuted people."
Advocates Spotlight Plight of African Immigrants in Israel
Posted on Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 9:59 am
This week in Los Angeles, HIAS—in partnership with Right Now: Advocates for African Asylum Seekers in Israel, New Israel Fund, T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, National Council of Jewish Women/LA, and IKAR—held a forum about African refugees in Israel called "Infiltrators or Asylum Seekers?" The Forward covered the event, at which keynote speakers, including Mark Hetfield, President & CEO (Interim) of HIAS, called for greater tolerance toward these refugees.
Immigrant to America helping those newly arrived on these shores
Posted on Fri, Jan 25, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Read a profile of recently elected HIAS Board member Albert Hayoun, whose family was helped by HIAS when they came to this country from Egypt (by way of France).
‘Faith and Protection’ – the UNHCR Dialogue on Protection Challenges
Posted on Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 13:10 pm
The South African Jewish Report just published an op-ed by Alana Baranov about the responsibilities of those in faith-based organizations to communicate and take the lead in supporting humanitarian and peace-building efforts. She discusses this in the context of the fifth UNHCR Dialogue on Protection Challenges, which gathered religious and NGO leaders from around the world, including HIAS' Mark Hetfield, who led the discussion on behalf of the broader Jewish delegation.
The Iranian American Community's New Year's Resolution
Posted on Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 18:18 pm
Underlining the diversity of the people HIAS assists, the Payvand Iran News just posted an article encouraging contributions to HIAS and other direct service groups that provide social services regardless of refugees' religious beliefs. The article also emphasized the need for volunteers to visit those being held indefinitely in detention centers and building community resources for those in need.
Civil Society Calls on Kenyan Government to End Abuse of Refugees
Posted on Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 18:18 pm
In a press release yesterday, the Nairobi Urban Refugee Protection Network (URPN) -- of which HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya (HRTK) is a member -- called on the Kenyan government to end police harassment and abuse of refugees. The Kenyan government's December 18 order that refugees and asylum seekers must relocate to the Dadaab and Kauma camps has sparked an upswing in reports of extortion, physical abuse, and loss of property perpetrated not only by criminal gangs, but by
Ahead of March deadline, Jewish groups bracing for sequester cuts
Posted on Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 11:17 am
This JTA article highlights the severe federal funding cuts facing HIAS -- as well as numerous other Jewish organizations -- due to the sequester, a measure adopted by Congress last year designed to force budget negotiations in order to avoid across-the-board cutbacks of 8.5 percent. The cutbacks, which are slated to take place on March 1st unless a compromise is reached, would most dramatically impact HIAS' operations in Ecuador aiding refugees fleeing fighting in Colombia, and Chad, where
Advocating for Asylum Seekers in Israel
Posted on Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 19:38 pm
The Jewish Journal just posted an article about the work of Maya Paley, who co-founded Right Now: Advocates for African Asylum Seekers in Israel, an organization calling for reform of the Refugee Status Determination procedure in Israel. Right Now also is a co-sponsor -- along with HIAS, New Israel Fund, and Rabbis for Human Rights-North America -- of "Infiltrators or Refugees? A Presentation and Discussion about Asylum Seekers in Modern Day Israel," which will take
The Latest Buzzword: Immigration
Posted on Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 16:54 pm
The Religious Action of Reform Judaism just posted a blog by HIAS' Associate Director of U.S. Policy and Advocacy Liza Lieberman in which she outlines both HIAS' top priorities related to immigration reform and explains how people can contribute.
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