The news overflows with images of desperate Syrian refugees fleeing war for safety in the West.
It’s not just a problem for European border countries such as Hungary and Slovenia. This is a problem for the world, and everyone, including the United States and the Jewish community, must be a part of the solution.
European nations have stepped up, with Germany agreeing to accept 800,000 refugees by the end of the year. Despite understandable unease over how this influx may impact their social fabric over time, these countries have done the right thing, the humane thing, by saving lives now — even though some, mainly in the East, are doing it grudgingly.
The United States has agreed to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees — a tiny number considering this nation’s sacred reputation as a haven for the “huddled masses,” as well as our enormous capacity for absorption.
While politicians continue to sort this out, we’re gratified to see elements of the Jewish community come out in support of assisting these people, whose lives have been so brutally upended.
HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) has pushed the Obama administration to increase the number of refugees admitted to the United States, as has the Reform movement. The American Jewish Committee has donated funds to help partners in Greece assist refugees pouring into that country.
Some in Israel have risen to the occasion, with the CEO of SodaStream offering to employ 1,000 Syrian refugees at the company’s factory in southern Israel. So far, though, Israel has not agreed to formally absorb any Syrians. But neither have Saudi Arabia or any of the Arab Gulf States, much to their shame.
As our cover story this week shows, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay has been quietly and effectively resettling non-Jewish refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo and other trouble spots for some time. JFCS stands ready to assist Syrian refugees as well, should they begin to arrive in the Bay Area. Other local Jewish organizations are encouraging donations to appropriate aid agencies.
As in Europe, some observers here worry about security. They point to ISIS’ claim that it has embedded its fighters among the Syrian refugees.
That should not stop us from doing what needs to be done. Relying on our security experts to vet all new arrivals, as Americans we stand ready to help the needy; as Jews we are commanded to welcome the stranger. n