sign in sign up
<<
Home , Baltimore Jewish Times, HIAS

24-29- cover 1/27/16 4:32 PM Page 24

For related multimedia Cover Story | content click here. SYRIAN Safety concerns, Jewish ethics guide attitudes toward helping those in need CRISIS By Melissa Gerr

aturday morning, a few was a moral obligation to help people everyone receives a full medical to a city. About 1,800 Syrian refugees days after the terrorist attacks who didn’t have a home and that we screening within a week or so of arrived in the United States in 2015, Sin last November, Rabbi could not relive the history of the arrival. Then the IRC’s employment and the largest Syrian community is Daniel Cotzin Burg of Beth Am used Second World War and turn away services team steps in to help the located in Toledo, Ohio. According his Shabbat sermon time to invite an from people in need.” She added that adults find work. to the United Nations High Com- open discussion about the brutal and though she has her concerns about “That’s the big ask by the U.S. gov- mission for Refugees, ’s tragic incidents that occurred through- the State Department’s ability to screen ernment,” said Ruben Chandrasekar, remains the single biggest generator out the city and their afermath. refugees adequately to weed out poten- executive director of the IRC’s Balti- worldwide of both new refugees and Several people expressed their anger tial terrorists, “I believe that most of more and Silver Spring offices. “We continuing mass internal and external and concern about the way Syrian these people are not security threats. welcome you, but you’ve got to work, displacement. Muslim refugees — those feeing possi- Tey’re homeless just like so many of to pull yourself up by your boot- “Te reality is, because [Syrians are] ble persecution and fear of death — were our [ancestors] were, and they deserve a straps. So we help folks find their first a new migrant group and because of the repeatedly linked with terrorist activi- chance to start over in a new place.” job. Then usually within three to four lengthy vetting process, we’ll be seeing ties in the rhetoric of some politicians Te group learned that the IRC months, 85 percent of our clients are very few coming to in the and in the media. Tey also voiced helped resettle more than 800 refugees working and paying their bills.” coming year,” said Beth Am member concern about an ensuing climate of fear last year; 35 of them are Syrians, but Stafers at the IRC cited several Joe Nathanson, who went on the IRC and hateful sentiment aimed at refugees there is no information on how many large local employers who regularly visit and has an extensive background that could spread from that portrayal. Syrians will be resettled in Maryland return to them seeking employees, in economic urban planning for Te discussion resulted in a small in 2016. The organization provides impressed by the pool of new immi- refugee communities. group of congregants meeting with clients with up to eight months of grants’ work ethic. About 12 percent With nearly 60 million refugees employees of the International Rescue case-management support when of Maryland’s population is foreign worldwide, and 4.5 million of whom Committee’s Baltimore ofce on East- they arrive to help them stabilize and born, yet immigrants own and run are Syrians — one quarter of that ern Avenue in Highlandtown a few navigate a new life. Refugees are met about 22 percent of small businesses, country’s population — Mark Het- weeks later to learn what they might do at the airport and ensured simply which are viewed as economic gener- field, president and CEO of HIAS, to welcome and assist Syrian refugees furnished affordable housing — the ators. Currently, there are sizable the organization formerly known as who are expected to arrive in Baltimore first month’s rent is paid for — and a communities of Burmese, Somali, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, in the coming year. frst warm meal, and their children are Ethiopian, Eritrean, Congolese and called the Syrian displacement “the Congregant Wendy Schelew, who has enrolled in school. Each new arrival Iraqi populations throughout the biggest ” since World a decades-long history volunteering and must attend a fve-day orientation that greater Baltimore area. Wa r I I . working in refugee resettlement in covers details such as instructions for The available resources and capac- “Frankly, the U.S. response is dis- her native Toronto, went to the IRC, she riding the bus, getting groceries and ity of resettlement agencies deter- proportionately low compared to explained, because “as a Jew I really felt it fnding English-language classes; and mine the number of refugees assigned other refugee crises,” he said.

24 January 29, 2016 24-29-refugees cover 1/27/16 11:21 AM Page 25

“IF PEOPLE ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECT REFUGEES JUST BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE THEY DO OR WORSHIP LIKE THEY DO, THAT WON’T REALLY LEAD TO ANYBODY BEING PROTECTED. SO WE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR EVERYBODY.” — Mark Hetfeld, president and CEO, HIAS

Hetfeld noted that 240,000 refugees fingerprinting and often iris scans, are use during the screening processes, Reform Judaism and the Jewish were admitted to the United States collected from all applicants and are and we don’t have that luxury with Community Relations Councils from in 1980; by contrast, crosschecked with databases at the Syrians.” nationwide for signing a letter that just 10,000 Syrians are slated for FBI, DHS and the Department of “But security is not a new issue for opposed the induction of additional admission this year. Defense. If the applicant passes all of refugees,” Hetfield added, citing the restrictions and security measures In 2016, for a person to gain refugee these screenings, he or she submits to more than 400,000 Soviet who and for “supporting dangerous Syrian status and legally enter the United health screenings and is enrolled in came here from what was “probably immigration.” States, according to the Department of cultural orientation classes while the most fearsome [foe] that the Groups representing the Conser- Homeland Security, he or she must information continues to be checked United States has ever had. There was vative and Orthodox movements, frst apply through the United Nations against terrorist databases to ensure plenty of opportunity for mischief by however, have joined the JCRCs, the High Commission of Refugees. Less no new intelligence has turned up the Soviets … and the U.S. knew that AJC and the URJ in backing the call than 1 percent of those applying since the application process began. and tried to screen for it. I’m sure to resettle Syrian refugees. achieve resettlement. A person must In total, the vetting process can last they caught some and others slipped prove he’s been driven from his home 12 to 24 months from application to through, but the bottom line is, we’re Jewish Roots, “due to a well-founded fear of being arrival here, and it’s considered the stronger as a country because we Jewish Ethics persecuted for reasons of race, religion, most rigorous of any country in the brought in those 400,000 Soviets. Albert Einstein’s plea for political nationality, membership in a particular world. However, in November, the But there was a risk.” social group or political opinion,” as House of Representatives voted 289 Chandrasekar hopes that advocacy asylum in 1933, when the Nazi stated in the 1951 Refugee Conven- to 137 in favor of a bill that would by his and other resettlement organi- regime took hold of Germany, “was tion, which was created in response to further tighten the vetting process zations will push the U.S. to increase the guiding force behind the creation and to prevent coun- for Iraqis and Syrians. The bill was President Barack Obama’s pledge to of the IRC,” Chandrasekar said. tries from denying refugees entry and defeated in the Senate on Jan. 20. accept 10,000 Syrians and 85,000 “He was responsible in many ways in sending them back to life-threatening Still, FBI director James Comey refugees overall to 100,000 and stimulating the IRC.” situations. testified in October that “a number 200,000 refugees, respectively. He added that in the beginning it If an applicant clears this first step, of people who were of serious concern” It’s a prospect that has some in the was “a clandestine organization that his or her documents are sent to the have slipped through screenings, Jewish community, including Zionist had staff in German occupied terri- State Department, where more infor- including two Iraqis arrested on Organization of America national tory,” such as Varian Fry, a Jewish mation is collected and security terrorism-related charges, as reported president Morton Klein, concerned journalist-turned-activist who cre- screenings are done via the National in . “There’s about the nation’s safety. ated fake travel permits allowing Jews Counterterrorism Center, the FBI no doubt that was the product of a “The violence perpetrated by to escape to other parts of and the Department of Homeland less-than-excellent vetting,” Comey Muslim immigrants in Europe — and the United States. “Our history Security. Syrian applicants get addi- said. “I can’t sit here and offer any- especially toward European Jews — as an organization is linked to the tional interviews and screenings body an absolute assurance that portends what America has in store if Jewish community and its history.” called the Syrian In-House Review, there’s no risk associated with this.” we bring more such immigrants here,” Now, the IRC has ofces in 33 coun- which could include more cross- Hetfeld compared the Syrian vetting Klein wrote in an opinion piece pub- tries and 26 American cities. Interna- referencing with the U.S. Citizenship process with the scrutiny of the Iraqi lished late last year by the Jewish tionally, it provides humanitarian and Immigration Services’ fraud and Afghan vetting process, but “we Times. He reproached HIAS, the assistance such as food, shelter and detection and national security directo- actually occupied those countries and Anti-Defamation League, the Amer- medical care. Within the United States, ries. Biometric screenings, including had access to their criminal records to ican Jewish Council, the Union for many refugees helped by the IRC have

jewishtimes.com 25 24-29-refugees cover 1/27/16 11:21 AM Page 26 MUHAMMAD HAMED/REUTERS/Newscom

The U.N. Human Rights Council estimates there are 4.5 million Syrian refugees, with many more displaced. Approximately 1,800 Syrians entered the U.S. as new immigrants in 2015, and President Barack Obama has pledged to accept approximately 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016.

Organizations such as the International Refugee stories similar to that of Ali and Amina Committee and HIAS assist refugees before and (not their real names). after they arrive into a newly adopted country. IRC settled more than 800 refugees in Maryland last Ali was a successful carpenter in year, 35 of whom are Syrians. Damascus and owned three retail fur- niture stores. He and his wife, Amina, had fve daughters with a much-hoped- for son on the way. Violent conficts and eventually civil war erupted in Syria, but the family chose to remain in their home country. While the civil war raged on, the hospital Amina gave birth in was bombed and her infant was killed. It was then the couple had to make a difficult decision to leave for their safety and that of their daughters. So in 2012, they left for and lived off of savings for a while. Soon Ervin Shulku/Polaris/Newscom Ali needed work and found a job delivering furniture. Tey tried to make ends meet, but life as a displaced “WE EVOLVED FROM BEING AN AGENCY refugee was a dangerous struggle with THAT HELPED REFUGEES BECAUSE THEY no end in sight. Finally, they applied for entry into WERE JEWISH TO AN AGENCY THAT HELPS the United States. REFUGEES BECAUSE WE ARE JEWISH.” “We resettled them 18 months after they applied, in 2014,” Chan- — Mark Hetfeld, president and CEO, HIAS drasekar said, adding that a goal of the IRC is to help repopulate Baltimore

26 Baltimore Jewish Times January 29, 2016 24-29-refugees cover 1/27/16 11:22 AM Page 27

“My main

concern right now is to continue to encourage our own people, the Jewish community, to think expansively and kindly about the other.”

Camille Wathne/IRC — Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg, Beth Am Congregation

City, which lost about 300,000 inhabit- ants during the decades between 1980 and 2000, and to increase its tax base. “Now, Ali works at Under Armor as a fork-lif driver. Amina just received her driver’s license and the kids are in school.” Afer losing so much, “refugees come here with the passion to rebuild.” “And when you look at the nation’s history for more than 200 years, that’s what refugees have done,” Hetfeld said. “Tey’ve strengthened this country not weakened it.” Since its inception in 1881, HIAS

Jeff Malet Photography/Newscom has resettled nearly 5 million new

Top: Syrian sisters, resettled with immigrants. Tis month, afer 130 assistance from the IRC, share a hug years in City, the organiza- in their adoptive city of Baltimore. tion moved its headquarters to Silver Above: Hundreds of demonstrators Spring, Md. rallied outside the White House in In the past decade, HIAS read- November in support of allowing Syrian justed its mission as the frst and only refugees to enter the United States. agency to protect and resettle Jewish Left: An anti-Syrian refugee protester refugees to focusing on non-Jewish in . refugees. It has received some criticism for the change. “We evolved from being an agency that helped refugees because they were Jewish to an agency that helps refugees because we are Jewish,” said Hetfield, who has worked with HIAS on and off since he began as a caseworker in in 1989. “Now,

Alberto Reyes/INFphoto/Newscom jewishtimes.com 27 24-29-refugees cover 1/27/16 11:22 AM Page 28

we’re a humanitarian service agency, protecting strangers Hetfield notes “So we have to stand up for everybody.” prohibit or restrict funding for any an advocacy agency that is guided by are the most repeated in the Torah, To that end, HIAS “managed to groups of refugees.” Jewish values and history.” he sees his mission as a righteous one. easily” get more than 1,200 rabbis to Cotzin Burg of Beth Am was one The result has been that a majority We were “once strangers ourselves,” sign a declaration — including more of the letter’s signees. of Jewish family service agencies he said. “So for that reason it’s very than 80 from the Baltimore-Wash- “My main concern right now is to HIAS previously partnered with to important we’re committed to ington area — that was delivered to continue to encourage our own peo- do the groundwork once a refugee refugees regardless of who they are. If all members of Congress in Decem- ple, the Jewish community, to think entered the United States have either people are committed to protect ber imploring them to learn from expansively and kindly about the dropped out of the network or will do refugees just because they look like Jewish history, welcome all nationali- other,” he said. “And this [refugee crisis] so this year, including such agencies in they do or worship like they do, that ties of refugees to the country “and to seems to me a great opportunity to Maryland and Washington. won’t really lead to anybody being oppose any measures that would actu- do so.” JT But supported by Jewish laws protected. ally or efectively halt resettlement or [email protected]

A CONTINUING JEWISH-MUSLIM DIALOGUE Since 2000, the Baltimore Jewish Council has

hosted interfaith events that stimulate a dialogue Provided among members in the Baltimore community. The Jewish-Muslim dialogue is one of them. “The mission is to create genuine and organic relationships and open the dialogue between the Jewish and Muslim communities,” said Madeline Suggs, director of public affairs at the BJC, “and focus on the topics we do have in common and can work on together.” There were more than a dozen events last year, Women participate in advocacy training with BJC’s Jewish-Muslim dialogue program. and they expect to host as many in 2016. Suggs noted that Gov. Larry Hogan’s office “has been a fantastic partner,” with its office of community she added, but the overall message was, “We can’t felt threatened, and “the Muslim community initiatives that does interfaith work, as well as the give in to the polarizing climate of the national asked us to help them with the grant for a fence Institute for Islamic, Christian and dialogue.” around their mosque on Johnnycake Road,” Art with Muslim scholars Homayra Ziad and Ben Sax. There are social justice and social programs as Abrams, BJC executive director, said. “We helped Martha Weiman, BJC Interfaith Commission well, such as collecting goods for donation that go them get $20,000, and we continue to do so; we chair, warned of the danger in generalizing about to each community, which is “a great way to see work together constantly.” an entire community, as people have historically what our faiths have in common, and charity is Suggs said a new dinner program will be done to the Jews, but “when you keep the doors one of them,” Suggs said. The BJC also hosted launched in May, a trilogue of Jewish, Muslim open there’s dialogue — whether it’s small dinner in the sukkah, and in the spring, it will and Christian faiths. There will be panelists or whether it’s large. And you have to hope that collaborate with ICJS and The Stoop Storytelling including an imam, a rabbi and a priest to kick it spreads.” Series to host an evening of stories about what off discussion, then attendees will break into small This month, the BJC cosponsored a Jewish and “home” means to them as and Jews. discussion groups. Muslim women’s advocacy program, where they Suggs said gender for attendance is split 50-50, One of the biggest causes of anti-Semitism or trained on lobbying techniques and strategies with and there is a “really strong young professional age anti-Muslim sentiment, Suggs said, “is a fear of the Ziad and Rep. Shelly Hettleman. There were group.” But depending upon the programming, unknown, and by creating relationships and about 25 women in attendance, Suggs said, and “it ages range from 30 to 70. friendships, we’re able to tackle the fear and was a rallying call to focus on how we can work After 9/11 there were federal and state Home- misconceptions that make that happen.” JT together. The unifying factor was women’s issues, land Security grants available to communities that — Melissa Gerr

28 Baltimore Jewish Times January 29, 2016