Our Timeline

In September 2015, the Social Action Committee formed a Refugee sub-Committee. Shortly afterwards, several members of this sub-Committee attended a JIAS workshop at the Prosserman JCC on private sponsorship. Pippa Feinstein offered to chair the sub-Committee and invited interested congregants to meet at the Narayever to begin a series of conversations about sponsoring a refugee family.

Conversations to date have been productive, and have included sub-committee members’ diverse perspectives. Meetings are meant to be an open and respectful space for meaningful and intelligent dialogue.

Meetings called by the sub-committee took place four times between September and December 2015. Issues discussed included:

• Whether the sponsorship should be undertaken through the shul or as a separate but affiliated group
• Security concerns around the nationality and religion of refugee families
• Research about how refugee families were being selected, the extent to which ethnic minority status was a factor in determining need, whether there were groups at special risk and the extent to which the shul might be able to determine sponsorship of a family in a high risk situation.
• Concerns that other necessary fundraising initiatives will be given lower priority
• Which Sponsorship-Agreement Holder should the Narayever work with
• The need for whether sponsorship efforts should be accompanied by public/adult education
• Possibilities for the shul to become involved in refugee-related advocacy

At the October meeting of the Board of Governors, the Social Action Committee informed the Board that it would present a motion to sponsor a refugee family at the Board’s next meeting.

On November 22nd, 2015, the Board of Governors approved the motion to sponsor a refugee family.

On November 24^th, a sub-committee meeting was held to discuss fundraising, in-kind donations and the development of a communications plan. These initiatives are now underway.

On December 8^th, Pippa announced that we had raised $35,000.

On December 18^th, we had raised almost $45,000.

On December 22^nd, we were at $59,000.

On January 11^th, Pippa announced that we had raised our goal of $65,000.

More details on our process will become available as the Narayever continues to communicate with JIAS, other sponsoring groups in Toronto, and as we engage in fundraising.