This past year our hearts swelled at the massive global effort to evacuate and find safe homes for Afghans fleeing for their lives; and they broke seeing people whose lives are in danger being turned away at border crossings around the world. Refugee Shabbat 2022, powered by HIAS, is a critical moment for all of us to reaffirm and redouble our support for refugees and asylum seekers.

At this critical moment, TST, a proud participant in Refugee Shabbat, seeks to reaffirm its support for refugees and asylum seekers. Teaming up with Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration (WJCI) and synagogues across Westchester County, we have an opportunity to raise awareness in our community, recognize the work that has been and continues to be done, and reaffirm our commitment to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers.

Please join us on Friday, March 4, 2022 at 7:30 pm for a special Refugee Shabbat full of celebration, commitment, and learning.

We are excited that Farhad Ghafoori, a recent refugee from Afghanistan, will be our special speaker. Farhad was born in Herat, Afghanistan and grew up in Kabul as one of 8 children. He got his Bachelors in English language from Kabul University and got a Masters degree from Kardan University. He served for the American Army in Logistics from 2015 until the Taliban took over in August 2021, after which time his family went into hiding. He was able to come to the United States on a Special Immigrant Visa. Now he and his wife and two young children live in White Plains near his two brothers.

Also hear about TST’s role as a collaborating organization, together with other congregations, civic organizations and individuals, to form the Northern Westchester Refugee Resettlement Initiative (ReSET), a community-based resettlement organization with the express purpose of resettling refugee families and individuals in our community. Learn how you can get involved. See www.resetwestchester.org.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of celebration and learning.