It’s January – Many of us do a secular Tchuva, resolutions to improve our lives such as exercising or spending less money on lattes. And many of us will use this New Year as another opportunity to work on our Jewish values.
Food For Thought will soon start planning this year’s project. Hopefully more of us will be involved.
I would like to offer another project – one that won’t need a committee, but a team of five individuals (or families) to engage in Tikkun Olam with the support of the entire TBH Community.
Many of us are aware of the plight of recently arrived immigrants in our country. The separation of families, the months or years long wait for any kind of legal status, the struggle to adapt to life in a new culture.
A local group, the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, works with asylum seekers or other recent arrivals by establishing Accompaniment Teams of five, who are backed by their congregation, to work directly with one person, or one family, and support them through the resettlement process. This support includes housing, legal aid, translation, and just plain human companionship. The process generally takes between six months and a year. Each team member should be prepared to devote 3-5 hours per week during that period.
I am asking if there is any interest in learning more about Nueva Esperanza, and what form that should take. Should we invite someone to come to a Speaker Series event? Should we take it on through our Social Action Committee (which is largely committed to Food For Thought)? The main question though is – who is willing to step up? Are all of us going to say “yes this is something someone should do?” Or is someone going to say “this is something I will do!”
I want to repeat a couple of facts. 1) Being on an Accompaniment Team is a finite commitment for six months to one year. 2) This is hands-on personal involvement in making a difference in new immigrants’ lives.
From the President- January 17, 2020
January 17, 2020 by tbhrich •
It’s January – Many of us do a secular Tchuva, resolutions to improve our lives such as exercising or spending less money on lattes. And many of us will use this New Year as another opportunity to work on our Jewish values.
Food For Thought will soon start planning this year’s project. Hopefully more of us will be involved.
I would like to offer another project – one that won’t need a committee, but a team of five individuals (or families) to engage in Tikkun Olam with the support of the entire TBH Community.
Many of us are aware of the plight of recently arrived immigrants in our country. The separation of families, the months or years long wait for any kind of legal status, the struggle to adapt to life in a new culture.
A local group, the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, works with asylum seekers or other recent arrivals by establishing Accompaniment Teams of five, who are backed by their congregation, to work directly with one person, or one family, and support them through the resettlement process. This support includes housing, legal aid, translation, and just plain human companionship. The process generally takes between six months and a year. Each team member should be prepared to devote 3-5 hours per week during that period.
The program is called Nueva Esperanza – New Hope. Detailed information can be found at https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/accompaniment/. A moving video about the background – the WHY – of Nueva Esperanza is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP-rCMzz7qg .
I am asking if there is any interest in learning more about Nueva Esperanza, and what form that should take. Should we invite someone to come to a Speaker Series event? Should we take it on through our Social Action Committee (which is largely committed to Food For Thought)? The main question though is – who is willing to step up? Are all of us going to say “yes this is something someone should do?” Or is someone going to say “this is something I will do!”
I want to repeat a couple of facts. 1) Being on an Accompaniment Team is a finite commitment for six months to one year. 2) This is hands-on personal involvement in making a difference in new immigrants’ lives.
Let me know….
We are what we do.
Neil Zarchin