“Interacting with the program mentors, our clients can pick up on the daily habits of Americans, experience English immersion in a safe environment, and see Americans as their friends—a true application of integration and social orientation.”

No matter what actions the Trump Administration may take to erode protections for individuals fleeing persecution and violence, HIAS and our supporters will always be there to defend the rights of refugees and the United States’ legacy of welcome.

“I want refugees and immigrants to be welcomed—that’s the impact that I want to have here in America. Everybody is welcomed.”

Rosie and Warda and the Big Tent, a refugee-themed children’s book, is a story about the importance of acknowledging and honoring cultural differences while understanding that we also all share much more in common than we may initially realize.

Hearing of their experiences brought home the many reasons we have to be truly thankful; for our freedoms, for our opportunities, for the comforts we enjoy.

“Whether it’s a single congregation or multiple congregations, when you can say ‘this is my family now, and I will do everything I would do as if I was helping my own family member,’ that level of responsibility lasts over time.”