This Thursday, June 6, marks the 80th anniversary of the day the M.S. St. Louis, a German passenger ship carrying 937 people– nearly all Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany– was denied entry to the United States.
HIAS President and CEO Mark J. Hetfield shares a message for Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), when we recall what happens to people who are not allowed to make the flight for safety and freedom, and reminds us of the imperative to welcome those who flee hatred.
“Torah commands us 36 times to welcome the stranger. The repetition is interesting—maybe it’s because it’s not the most important commandment, but the easiest to forget.”
A new video tells the story of a unique partnership between HIAS and Islamic Relief USA which is helping to ensure that the most vulnerable refugees in Greece receive access to legal protection.
