Temple Concord will take part in a “HIAS Refugee Shabbat,” on Friday, March 4, at 7:30 pm. Now in its fourth year, with hundreds of congregations and thousands of individuals participating, Refugee Shabbat will be an opportunity to raise awareness in local communities, to recognize the work that has been done, and to reaffirm commitments to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. People can attend the service in person, on Zoom or on the Temple Concord Facebook page. Those attending in person must show proof of vaccination and be masked. 

“Temple Concord will be a proud participant in HIAS’ Refugee Shabbat, during which Jews in the United States and around the world will take action for refugees and asylum seekers,” said organizers of the event. “We are excited to have just welcomed a family from Afghanistan to our community through the BRAIN (Binghamton Regional Afghan Immigration Network) sponsor circle under the guidance of HIAS. Many in our community have joined together to support this sponsor circle and two others to help these Afghan families settle in our community. Please join us to celebrate this important work, hear more about what we are doing and learning, and to learn more about other efforts we can take.”

Organizers noted, “With more than 84 million people worldwide who have fled their homes due to persecution and violence, we are now witnesses to one of the largest humanitarian crises in human history. This past year, as the number of displaced people continued to grow, our hearts have swelled at the massive global effort to evacuate and find safe homes for Afghans fleeing for their lives; and they have broken seeing people whose lives are in danger being turned away at border crossings around the world. This is a critical moment for all of us to reaffirm and redouble our support for refugees and asylum seekers. During the Shabbat of March 4-5, 2022, the Jewish community will dedicate sacred time and space to refugees and asylum seekers.”