HIAS+JCORE

Wishing all of our followers and supporters celebrating L'Shana Tova: a very happy new year. Together, let's make the coming year a sweet one for refugees and people seeking asylum.

HIAS+JCORE stands in solidarity with refugee and migrant communities after last weekend’s disturbing events in Dover and Portsmouth. Through our own community’s history, we understand what it means to need the UK’s safety – and, at times, to face hostility on arrival. The scenes of far-right protestors dressed in black and wearing masks bring worrying echoes of darker periods of this country’s past. We will always stand with people fleeing danger today. While we know that the compassionate majority rejects such hatred, we must also be clear that these events did not occur in a vacuum. For too long, media narratives and policy approaches have intensified a sense of “us and them”, risking further division and harming integration. A better, fairer, and more compassionate alternative is possible. Rightful condemnation of last weekend’s events must just be the start: we now need politicians to rethink, and prioritise policy which ensures our society is safe and welcoming for all in this country.

Interested in supporting our research project on Jewish action for refugees? Our team is building a picture of the Jewish movement of welcome and mapping the amazing work being delivered across the country. If your community has helped refugees or people seeking asylum, we'd love to hear from you. Your contributions will shape shape a new report - the Jewish Movement of Welcome - and help highlight best practice. Visit our website today to learn more and get involved ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e2aw8iau

Deadline extended! Our Lord Dubs Awards nominations will now close on 22 September 2026. As a reminder, we're excited to be recognising incredible individuals with two awards this year: The Dubs Award for Outstanding Commitment: Celebrating people who’ve shown a lifelong devotion to the cause. The Dubs Legacy Award for Emerging Leaders: Building on this heritage and honouring people aged 30 or under who are driving positive change for refugees and people seeking asylum. Visit our website to start your nomination today! https://lnkd.in/eZGG7Aef

It's not too late to sign up for our ‘From Heathrow to Miami: Immigration Enforcement in Practice’ webinar this Thursday! (6 August, 6.30pm-8pm). From mass detention, increased deportations to greater use of force, immigration enforcement practices are tightening across the globe. This webinar is a unique chance to hear transatlantic perspectives on these changes. Our expert speakers include: 📍 Naomi Steinberg, Vice President, Refugee & Immigration Policy & Advocacy, HIAS 📍 Theresa Schleicher, Immigration Caseworker, Wilsons LLP We’ll explore the Trump administration's policies led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), alongside UK Home Office practices. Book your space ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eztZTyD6

Did you know that Jewish refugees helped shape the Refugee Convention? Led by their own experiences, they helped secure some of its most important aspects. On its 75th anniversary week, our Executive Director David Mason wrote for Jewish News about why that history must continue to inspire Jewish social justice work. With almost 118 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, their legacy has rarely been more relevant. Now, more than ever, it's critical that we uphold the Convention’s spirit and stand in solidarity with those who need its protection. What better tribute could there be to those Jewish jurists who helped secure for others the safety they once so desperately needed themselves? Read the full article ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eFJ3-ECK

We've joined 100+ organisations in signing Runnymede Trust's important letter to the new Prime Minister. Together, we're urging Andy Burnham to to implement a national antiracism strategy. Read the full letter ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gddFG6Xe

BREAKING: Almost 40 senior faith leaders have signed our open letter to Andy Burnham, urging him to rethink the UK's refugee and asylum policy. Together, we're also warning the new PM that the UK’s current approach risks damaging social cohesion. Our signatories represent Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities across the country. At a time of rising antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other hate crimes, it’s more important than ever that we continue to stand united in solidarity. Read the full letter ➡️ https://lnkd.in/efX-4mzX

Starting over is never easy. But it's a little less impossible when a community shows up. Alaa and Bahaa were displaced not once but three times — from Syria to Lebanon to Jordan — before finally resettling in London in 2016. What they found there surprised them: a Jewish community that had spent a year fighting to welcome Syrian refugees like them. THE FINCHLEY PROGRESSIVE SYNAGOGUE (FPS), a long-time HIAS+JCORE partner, offered English lessons, a weekly coffee morning, and most importantly, the feeling of community. Nearly a decade later, FPS continues to work in close partnership with the brothers, who know firsthand what it’s like to rebuild your life from scratch and what new refugees are experiencing. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eQ9CaNjt

We're delighted that HIAS+JCORE trustee, Cathy Ashley OBE, has been recognised with a life peerage. Our Executive Director, Rabbi David Mason, said: “I am so proud that Cathy has been appointed to the House of Lords. It is hugely well-deserved and a fitting recognition of her exemplary work and commitment to social justice. We are very fortunate to benefit from Cathy’s expertise and leadership as a HIAS+JCORE board member. She is a powerful champion for refugee rights and it has been a privilege to work together toward a fairer, more compassionate society. Mazal Tov to the new Baroness Ashley from all at HIAS+JCORE!” https://lnkd.in/eisbUxKQ