(Jewish Group) With refugees hit doubly hard by the pandemic, Jewish groups step up aid efforts
Nearly 80 million people around the world are refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced.
Already marginalized and at elevated risk of malnutrition, disease and hunger, COVID-19 has made them even more vulnerable due to their poverty, overcrowded living conditions and limited access to healthcare.
While in this generation very few Jews are among the displaced, the Jewish historical experience of being homeless, hungry and stateless continues to drive Jewish activists and organizations to assist.
“We used to help refugees because they were Jewish; now we help refugees because we are Jewish,” said Melanie Nezer, senior vice president for public affairs at HIAS, which was founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. “It’s in our DNA to help people who are displaced, given our values, our Jewish texts and our long history as refugees.”
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This is the group the scumbag who shot up the Tree of Life Synagogue was targeting.
