When in late 2015, the Syrian refugee crisis filled the news, the image of the body of a three-year-old boy on a beach in Turkey grabbed our attention. In response to the question, “What can we do?” the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven and representatives of local synagogues determined that a meaningful, sustainable response required more than one synagogue could offer.

Five synagogues and the Federation committed to collaborating and formed a co-sponsor group for IRIS, New Haven’s Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. The synagogues were Temple Emanuel, Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel, Congregation B’nai Jacob, Congregation Mishkan Israel, and Congregation Or Shalom. In our sixth year, a sixth synagogue joined the partnership: Temple Beth David (Reform) of Cheshire.

Jean Silk was hired as the Coordinator, and the program was named. From its inception, the Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement—now widely known by its acronym JCARR, was understood to be a synagogue program. Then, in 2019, IRIS informed its co-sponsors that all volunteers must be covered by liability insurance. When none of the JCARR synagogues could offer this coverage, but the Federation could, JCARR moved under the Federation’s umbrella.

Since 2019, the Federation has provided what past CEO Judy Alperin described as “back office support” of JCARR. Jean Silk says the organization benefits greatly from the work of the Business Office and departments of Marketing, Development, IT, and the Jewish Foundation. The Jewish Federation does not regularly provide JCARR with direct financial support.

However, when the COVID Pandemic struck, JCARR families were affected by parents’ loss of employment, children were attending school remotely and needed parental supervision, and JCARR could not organize in-person fundraising events. The Federation responded by providing Maimonides grants that helped JCARR parents pay rent during the difficult financial period.

According to the World Bank, globally, more than 100 million forcibly displaced people, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers, have fled their homes to escape violence, conflict, and persecution. JCARR models how a community can turn concern into action. JCARR demonstrates how people can form partnerships and turn sad stories into success stories. Our efforts have been recognized as a model of community co-sponsorship and collaboration among synagogues.

HELPING REFUGEES IN OUR COMMUNITY GIVES US A FEELING OF HOPE AND A MEANINGFUL WAY TO PARTICIPATE IN REPAIR OF THE WORLD

Your contributions sustain JCARR’S mission.