Standing in Solidarity with Ukrainian Refugees
As rabbis committed to the Torah-rooted sanctity of human dignity and the protection of the vulnerable, we are deeply troubled by reports that the administration plans to revoke the temporary legal status of approximately 240,000 Ukrainian refugees who sought safety in the United States due to the ongoing conflict in their homeland. Our tradition teaches us to "welcome the stranger," to see all people as created in the image of God, and to stand with those fleeing persecution and violence. This goes not only for these Ukrainian refugees, but for all those who have sought sanctuary here. Further, America, at its best, has been a safe place of refuge for those in desperate need of shelter from the horrors of war and other criminal activities worldwide. Stripping these refugees (men, women, and children) of their legal protections not only contravenes both these core Jewish and American values but also exposes them to further hardship and uncertainty. We urge all our nation's leaders to uphold the principles of compassion and justice by maintaining the legal status of these refugees, and ensuring they continue to receive the protection and support they desperately need. We call upon the Jewish community to speak out and advocate in allyship with Ukrainian, and all other, refugees.
Rabbi Shimon Brand
Rabbi Dr. Zev I. Farber
Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Finkelman
Rabbi David Goodman
Rabbi Mel Gottlieb, Ph.D.
Rabbi Steve Greenberg
Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg
Rabbi Avram Herzog
Rabbi David Jaffe
Rabbi Yisroel Juskowicz
Rabbi Fred Klein
Rabbanit Tali Schaum Broder
Rabba Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez
Rabbi David Schwartz
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller
Rabbi Mikey Stein
Rabbi Alana Suskin
Rabba Dr Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz
Rabbi Dr. Jeremiah Unterman
Rabbanit Dr. Agnes Veto
Rabbi Binyomin Vineburg
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz