Come together with hundreds of fellow refugee advocates and activists across the globe to send out Shabbat with a joyful havdalah service (the service that marks the conclusion of Shabbat) led by HIAS Rabbi-in-Residence Rachel Grant Meyer,  Rabbi Yosef Goldman, and Rabbi Annie Lewis. Our blessings will be woven together with the voices of historical […]

Individual volunteer activists and advocates can make a world of difference to help refugees and asylum seekers without even leaving your home. Join a panel of experts, advocates, and volunteers working to help mitigate the global refugee crisis. The Jewish Collaborative of Orange County welcomes a dynamic panel of volunteers and professionals living in Orange […]

Individual and community involvement can make a tremendous difference in the lives of refugees, asylum seekers, and the forcibly displaced. Yet, when confronted with the fact that there are now over 80 million displaced people in the world, it is easy to be overwhelmed – to assume that as individuals there is little we can […]

The program will feature speakers on the status of the Biden Administration's Immigration Bill and its impact on the undocumented, Dreamers, TPS recipients and others, the situation at the United States — Mexico border and the current policies regarding refugees and asylum seekers, and the opportunity for local and national advocacy. Welcoming the Stranger Flyer […]

Through text-based learning, Julie Gersten will facilitate a discussion on what it means to count refugees and asylum seekers as valuable contributors to our society.  Julie Gersten is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Refugee Action Fund, an organization that mobilizes philanthropic giving to help refugees and other forcibly displaced people achieve safety, dignity and opportunities to live […]

Beth David will be observing HIAS Refugee Shabbat with guest speaker Chris Olsen, Director of Public Policy & External Affairs, Jewish Family Service of San Diego.  He will speak to the refugee and asylum seeker situation at the border. The Shabbat Service will be live streamed at Live Stream | Beth David (templebethdavid.org) Looking for […]

Samos Nest In early 2018, with the refugee crisis intensifying at America’s southern border and throughout the world, PILA’s work went global and opened their first “Nest,” a play space for young asylum-seekers living in the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Since then, responding to needs as they arise, PILA has […]

Join us for a talkback conversation with the playwright, director, and cultural consultant of 14 on Zoom. You will have an opportunity to watch a performance of 14 prior to the talkback. SYNOPSIS: 14 was inspired by the true-life event in May 2001 in which a smuggler abandoned 30 Mexicans crossing the desert near Yuma, Ariz., resulting […]

Click here to RSVP World Refugee Day is a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the plight of refugees. World Refugee Day also calls attention to global efforts to protect their human rights.  OCJCR will join others around the world to celebrate the courage, strength and determination of families forced to […]

The first film in our new Film Festival is Midnight Traveller, a 2019 documentary film that begins in Afghanistan. Watch the film online anytime between August 15-25 and then join us for a Zoom discussion on August 24 at 4 pm with Phil Caruso and Ismail Khan of No One Left Behind Registration required for film […]

Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America Watch Unsettled October 12-22 | Join us for a Zoom discussion October 21 at 4 pm Watch the official trailer here We are delighted to screen this award winning feature-length documentary highlighting the poignant stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S. Unsettled follows four new arrivals, each […]