Immigration."When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the lang of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:34)
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Our Position
"You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Exodus 22:20)
Our Torah offers these teachings 36 times, embedding them in our moral values as Jews.
These centuries-old mandates influence our responses to the current anti-immigrant and anti-refugee actions of our state and federal governments.
Immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, refugees and asylum seekers are human beings and should be treated as such. Instead, they have become endangered, subject to arrest, detention and deportation without legal redress. Families are separated and communities and industries are destabilized.
The United States began with a declaration of unalienable rights endowed by a Creator. For Jews, who trace our lineage back centuries living under anti-Semitic rulers and dictators, forced to flee countries, subject to pogroms and abject poverty, the values of the American Constitution and the freedom to practice our faith has been invaluable.
Nearly all Americans are children, grandchildren or great grandchildren of immigrants who have prospered in the Land of the Free. We are connected by
DNA to the “tired, hungry and poor” and welcome new generations who will become hardworking members of our society and future generations of leaders, scholars, laborers and innovators.
In this time of indiscriminate roundups of suspected undocumented brown and black immigrants, and creation of a detention prison camp in Guantanamo, the denial of the right to seek asylum, the deployment of the armed forces to the Southern border, the denial of the Constitutional birthright provision, among others, we must work to support legal avenues for “strangers” to enter our society.
In addition, the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 calls for admitting up to 205,000 refugees annually. Currently, the administration has closed our country to refugees who have been fully vetted by our government and have been waiting for admission for years in camps overseas.
In addition, the State of Tennessee continues to find ways to discriminate against immigrants and refugees. NJSJR supports legal challenges to some of these laws as unconstitutional.
NJSJR sees the solution in Congress taking action to formulate measures for comprehensive immigration reform, something members have not been willing to address. The jumble of Federal, state and local statutes has brought our country to this untenable state.
We must recognize the humanity of all peoples seeking a refuge and better life in our country. And we must recognize the benefits they have brought here through their ambition, hard work and innovative entrepreneurship. Our country has been made stronger and more resilient, thanks to newcomers of all races and nationalities.
Our Torah offers these teachings 36 times, embedding them in our moral values as Jews.
These centuries-old mandates influence our responses to the current anti-immigrant and anti-refugee actions of our state and federal governments.
Immigrants, whether documented or undocumented, refugees and asylum seekers are human beings and should be treated as such. Instead, they have become endangered, subject to arrest, detention and deportation without legal redress. Families are separated and communities and industries are destabilized.
The United States began with a declaration of unalienable rights endowed by a Creator. For Jews, who trace our lineage back centuries living under anti-Semitic rulers and dictators, forced to flee countries, subject to pogroms and abject poverty, the values of the American Constitution and the freedom to practice our faith has been invaluable.
Nearly all Americans are children, grandchildren or great grandchildren of immigrants who have prospered in the Land of the Free. We are connected by
DNA to the “tired, hungry and poor” and welcome new generations who will become hardworking members of our society and future generations of leaders, scholars, laborers and innovators.
In this time of indiscriminate roundups of suspected undocumented brown and black immigrants, and creation of a detention prison camp in Guantanamo, the denial of the right to seek asylum, the deployment of the armed forces to the Southern border, the denial of the Constitutional birthright provision, among others, we must work to support legal avenues for “strangers” to enter our society.
In addition, the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 calls for admitting up to 205,000 refugees annually. Currently, the administration has closed our country to refugees who have been fully vetted by our government and have been waiting for admission for years in camps overseas.
In addition, the State of Tennessee continues to find ways to discriminate against immigrants and refugees. NJSJR supports legal challenges to some of these laws as unconstitutional.
NJSJR sees the solution in Congress taking action to formulate measures for comprehensive immigration reform, something members have not been willing to address. The jumble of Federal, state and local statutes has brought our country to this untenable state.
We must recognize the humanity of all peoples seeking a refuge and better life in our country. And we must recognize the benefits they have brought here through their ambition, hard work and innovative entrepreneurship. Our country has been made stronger and more resilient, thanks to newcomers of all races and nationalities.
Taking Action
Letter on Refugee and Asylum Priorities during Covid-19
Letter in support of refugees and immigrants
Letter in support of in-state tuition for undocumented Tennesseans
Letter in support of refugees and immigrants
Letter in support of in-state tuition for undocumented Tennesseans
Learn More and Get Involved
Local
- Coalition for Education about Immigration (CEI): A coalition of Nashville justice organizations and individuals committed to immigration reform and improved public policies.
- Conexion Americas: Building a welcoming community and creating opportunities where Latino families can belong, contribute, and succeed.
- Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC): A statewide immigrant and refugee-led collaboration to empower immigrants to develop a unified voice, defend their rights, and create an atmosphere in which they are recognized as positive contributors to the state.
National
- American Jewish World Service: Providing nonsectarian humanitarian assistance and emergency relief to disadvantaged people worldwide.
- Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS): Providing direct services to immigrants and refugees, and advocating for improved immigration and refugee related public policy.