HIAS Blog
Putting it in Perspective: Refugees Becoming Successful Businesswomen Posted by Jenny Fernandez on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 16:00 pm
As a junior at American University studying both international relations and business administration, I am constantly looking for ways to apply both aspects of my education to my internships. Throughout my time at HIAS, I have been given opportunities to attend meetings on Capitol Hill, at the Washington Times, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and many other incredible places to hear the latest discussions on a variety of current events. Attending these hearings, I noticed that no matter
Jewish Groups at the Forefront of the Pennsylvania Compact
Posted by Liza Lieberman on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Jewish organizations around the country are devoted to fighting for humane and just immigration reform. In Pennsylvania, HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Philadelphia have partnered with various other local advocacy groups to create the Pennsylvania Compact, a declaration of five principles to guide the state's immigration discussion and policy making. Inspired by the Utah Compact, which was signed in November of last year, the
Faces Behind the Immigration Spiel Posted by Susannah Glick on Tue, Jul 05, 2011 at 11:56 am
When I began my internship with HIAS two weeks ago, I thought I knew a lot about immigration reform. I assumed that reading the daily news and following current events gave me a comprehensive look at our nation’s current immigration policies and political climate. However, now that I’m a few weeks into my summer internship at the HIAS-DC office, I realize that I had been missing a huge piece of the picture: the actual people being affected by
July 4th Reflections
Posted by Gideon Aronoff on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 17:06 pm
As we prepare to celebrate our country’s 235th birthday on July 4th, I wanted to share one of my favorite pieces of the “Torah of Migration”–-an excerpt from President George Washington’s letter to the leaders of the Touro Synagogue of Newport, RI. In his 1790 letter President Washington wrote:
“The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation.
Putting it in Perspective: South Sudanese Independence Posted by Jenny Fernandez on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 12:08 pm
When I started my internship at HIAS, I was sure that I could not possibly become any more excited about or interested in international events. In the past two years I’ve been to Hill hearings, taken classes on international relations and politics, and met with representatives from several different government agencies. However, even though I’ve only been at HIAS for three weeks, I’ve been introduced to an incredibly personal side of international relations through HIAS’ work on behalf
Putting Things into Perspective Posted by Ilanit Sisso on Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 9:41 am
After World War II, when much of the world had closed its doors to the Jewish people, Venezuela was one of the few countries that welcomed Jews from around the world with open arms. Growing up, I always heard the story of the Caribia and the Koenigstein, two German steamboats filled with Jewish refugees that had been allowed to enter into the country after they had been rejected from a number of other ports. The most notable part of this
Passover Reflections Posted by Igor Khayet on Mon, May 09, 2011 at 17:12 pm
Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to celebrate Pesach in San Francisco, California. I've been living here for the past two months as part of a fellowship program for the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship and I was worried about finding a place to have a seder. As it turns out, one of my closest friends from Kansas City has relatives in San Francisco and graciously invited me to their house.
I could never have imagined the unlikely connection that I
Africa Calling Posted by Caroline Pacht on Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 17:20 pm
A year ago, if someone had told me that I would be on a plane going to Africa, I would have never believed them. Yet, this once-in-a lifetime opportunity presented itself when I was accepted to the HIAS Mission to Kenya and Uganda. It was an experience that I will never forget.
We touched down in Nairobi, Kenya, and were greeted by representatives from HRTK (HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya) and HIAS USA. At HRTK, we learned about the process
How a stranger learned to welcome the stranger Posted by Alison Karfeld on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 14:07 pm
I am a most unlikely representative of the Jewish community. To say the least. I am the child of a Christmas baby.
We have five boxes of Santa Claus-esque paraphernalia, gleaned over many decades, that we haul out every year in the same way you probably haul out your great-grandma's menorah. But of course, we stop short of having a tree... because we're Jewish. ;) Once in my student teaching, I was asked to lead a lesson on Hannukah; I turned
HIAS Mourns the Passing of Michael B. Rukin
Posted by Gideon Aronoff on Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 15:04 pm
The entire HIAS family—board and staff—mourns the untimely death of our immediate past chair, Michael B. Rukin, 70 of Boston, who died last Friday following a stroke. An early activist in the Soviet Jewry movement, Michael first came on the HIAS board in 1986, completing that term in 1998. Then, in 2003, he was re-elected to his second term. So, except for a brief five-year interlude, he has been a towering presence on the HIAS board for the better part
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