Beth El Synagogue is a member of the Interfaith Council of New Americans Westchester (ICNAW), a volunteer group comprised of diverse religious and secular organizations. ICNAW works with HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which has been “in business” for over 150 years, welcoming and supporting new arrivals to the United States, including many of our own ancestors. ICNAW locates and furnishes apartments for recent arrivals, helps them negotiate the social service system, donates vehicles and provides driving lessons, seeks out employment for adults, schools and tutoring for children and adults, medical and dental assistance as needed, and gradually acculturates these individuals to their new surroundings.
More detail about ICNAW’s work can be found here and here.
To date ICNAW has worked with refugees from Afghanistan who are SIVs, i.e., those granted special immigrant visas for assisting United States forces in Afghanistan. ICNAW has settled five families and is planning to welcome a sixth to Westchester after approval from the Department of State. The Refugee Assistance Committee warmly invites you to join our work with ICNAW where you’ll find numerous opportunities for both short- and long-term experiences. Interested? Contact Joyce Wechsler (joywechsler@gmail.com or Susan Wolman (swolman9@gmail.com), Refugee Assistance Committee Co-chairs.