HIAS Refugee Shabbat: An Update

HIAS, the world’s oldest refugee agency, was incorporated in 1903 as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Reflecting Jewish ethics, it found ways to help fellow Jews in a hostile world. By 1975, the number of Jewish immigrants had waned, and HIAS expanded its reach to include all ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds. Today, it operates in over 20 countries and 23 metropolitan areas in the US.

HIAS speaker Isabel Burton will give a brief history of the agency’s earlier work with Jewish immigrants. She will update and help us understand the current refugee crisis—globally, nationally, and locally. She will explain how HIAS does its work, where it works, and the challenges it faces. We will learn about the pros and cons of partnering with other agencies and of working with governments, both friendly and hostile. We will learn the meaning of terms commonly used in refugee/asylum seeker discussions. If time permits, we might address the role of politics in the refugee debate.

Isabel Burton is the Senior Director of Community Engagement Initiatives at HIAS.  She oversees initiatives that enable the American Jewish community to support refugees. Prior to joining HIAS, Isabel worked in non-profit management, community organizing, and community development both in congregational settings and in agencies in the US and the UK. She holds a BA in Anthropology from Oxford University, and a Masters in International Development from SOAS, a leading center for research on global issues at the University of London. Isabel lives with her family in Brooklyn.

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