TST’s Learns: Enliven Jewish Life, Deepen Connection & Cultivate Mindfulness
June 7, 2021
Rabbi David Wilfond’s Message – Friday, June 11, 2021
June 10, 2021
The Social Action committee has been working with the WJCI (Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration). Their mission is to advocate for fair, just and compassionate laws, policies and programs to support immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. WJCI envisions the USA as a welcoming country, with efficient, open hearted, welcoming immigration policies so that immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers can begin new lives in safety and dignity.
Below is a list of things that each one of us can do to help and if you want to get more involved please contact socialaction@templest.org:
Rabbis can HEAD TO THE BORDER with organizations such as HIAS or T’ruah. Email us at wjciorg@gmail.com and we will connect you to the right contacts.
We can WELCOME asylum-seeker families at the Port Authority bus station through Grannies Respond. They need help several times daily to greet people as they are transferred to busses going north. After traveling for days, they are tired and hungry, and often need help navigating the vast bus station. Greeting people is a beautiful and local way to make a difference!
Check out their website.
Sign up to greet asylum seekers at Port Authority here.
To purchase from their Supply Registry: http://bit.ly/TLCSupplies.
Sign up for the Team TLC NYC email list on the website: tlc nyc.org.
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Contacts: Margaret and Ilze, teamtlcnyc@gmail.com.
VOLUNTEER at the Community Resource Center in Mamaroneck. Donations or money, or time are needed. You can be a companion, buddy, tutor, lawyer, social worker, or even work behind the scenes to help with drafting forms.
Find out more about CRC here: https://www.crcny.org.
Donate money to help their asylum-seeking clients for legal fees and other expenses: https://www.crcny.org/donate.html.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to stay up to date with their efforts.
Contact: info@crcny.org or Janet Rolon, jrolon@crcny.org
VOLUNTEERs can go to the border with Team Brownsville to help them assist the children there. Team Brownsville needs help serving meals or distributing supplies. They also need financial and in-kind donations such as Spanish/English children's books or coloring books, small toys, and stuffed animals, which you can bring or send.
Find out more about Team Brownsville here:
https://www.teambrownsville.org
Follow them on Facebook.
Contact: Andrea Rudnik, andrea@teambrownsville.org
ORGANIZE collections and fundraising drives for children from the border living in Westchester at Abbott House in Irvington. You can support their Welcoming Children from Afar Program by buying something on this wish list: https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3E91RCI2VEPGQ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist.
DONATE money to Arizona Jews for Justice or support their efforts to help children at the border Find out more about AJ4J at http://www.arizonajewsforjustice.org.
Follow them on Facebook. and Twitter for updates.
Contact: Eddie Chavez Calderon, EddieazJews4Justice@gmail.com
SUPPORT Children's Village's Unidos por un Sueño (United for a Dream). This program, based in Dobbs Ferry, provides family reunification and short-term shelter for children who have come to the U.S. without a guardian. They need backpacks, string bags, toothbrushes, toothpaste, brushes, combs, deodorant, lotion, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, comfy small blankets, water bottles, and activity books.
Find out more about Children’s Village at https://childrensvillage.org.
Follow them on Facebook.
Contact: Amy DelliPaoli, ADelliPaoli@childrensvillage.org
URGE elected officials to support programs and legislation on behalf of asylum seekers by making calls, writing letters, and meeting with your local legislators directly. We must tell Congress to end Title 42, stop the misuse of public health laws, and restore the right to asylum. Find out more about Title 42 here. Head to wjci.org to fill a form to end Title 42; your response will be forwarded to your local legislators.
President Biden: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact; Phone: (202) 456-1111
Sen. Schumer https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck; Phone: (202) 224-6542
Sen. Gillibrand: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/email-me; Phone: (202) 224-4451
Rep. Bowman: https://bowman.house.gov/send-an-email; Phone: (202) 225-2464
Rep. Jones: https://jones.house.gov/contact; Phone: (202) 225-6506
Rep. Maloney: https://seanmaloney.house.gov/contact; Phone: (202) 225-5441
ORGANIZE a meeting with your Member of Congress. Reach out to wjciorg@gmail.com for talking points and more information on how to book that meeting.
ASK your member of Congress to end Title 42 and the misuse of public health laws and restore the right to asylum at the border at our website: https://www.wjci.org/advocacy-policy.
ADVOCATE by writing postcards to our local legislator through the local organization Neighbors for Refugees. Join a special effort to help children at the border on June 17th, specifically about Title 42.
Find out more about NFR here: https://www.neighborsforrefugees.org
Contact Ruth Gyure at Gyurer@gmail.com.
HELP HIAS:
Pro bono lawyers are needed to represent asylum seekers, especially those stuck at the U.S.-Mexico border and now permitted to enter the U.S. and reunite with their families. Spanish is beneficial but is not required for some opportunities. Learn more, and please submit your interest here.
Spanish-speaking individuals (non-lawyers) can volunteer remotely to support HIAS’ Border Response Team by providing services to asylum seekers. Find out more and sign up here.
Donate air miles to help HIAS reunite clients with their families.
Help HIAS clients with housing with Airbnb through their Open Homes Social Impact Platform.
THANK YOU.
