Moral Response to Migrant Crisis in Europe

September 4, 2015Barbara Weinstein

The growing refugee crisis enveloping Europe challenges us as Jews and as human beings deeply pained by the images of desperate individuals and families searching for sanctuary. Seeing this crisis play out in Europe of course brings with it the weight of the history we carry as a Jewish people. Each of us is seeking a way to respond: to help provide for the needs of refugees, to urge our own nation and others to respond more compassionately and robustly to the crisis, and to spur world leaders to address the crisis’s root causes including the gross human rights violations and barbarism Bashar al-Assad has shown toward his own people.

The Religious Action Center is working with our partners including the World Union for Progressive Judaism, HIAS, the Joint Distribution Committee and others to ensure an effective and coordinated response to this challenge. Next week, we will have information on steps you can take (calling on the US and Canadian governments to accept additional refugees, urging our European diplomatic representatives to encourage the continent’s leaders to do the same, collecting supplies to send to aid groups working directly with refugees in need – if possible, and more) to make a difference.

The compassion and commitment of Reform Jews to help those in need knows no bounds. We look forward to working with you to address this urgent situation.

Shabbat shalom.

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