THE WORK OF SBCARES: JEWISH SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES

In 2016 about 10 of us who live in SB, all Jewish, were moved by the plight of refugees hoping for safety, hoping to re-make their lives in whatever ways they could. At the time many of the refugees that came to the attention of the world were Syrians.

Why a designated group?   We decided we could be most effective by forming a group, SBCares, not attached to a particular synagogue, able to take initiative as we determined best.  Our primary interest was in the needs of refugees and immigrants, globally and locally.

SBCARES INITIATIVES 

The following are some of the initiatives SBCares has taken over the past  years:

 The Syrian Situation and Syrian Refugees

In 2017 we sponsored a film by a Syrian-American filmmaker, Sam Kadi.  The film, “Little Gandhi, focused on the iconic Syrian peace activist, Ghiyath Matar, whose brutal torture and death at age 26 outraged the international community.  We showed the film at the Vic and followed it with an opportunity for people to discuss the film with Mr. Kadi.

About $2000 of the funds raised by the event went to the family of the two men featured in the film.  The family was in hiding at the time as they had become targets. 

A larger portion went to a Christian-Armenian family from Syria, living in Canada whose re-settlement we facilitated.  Primarily through the efforts of Karen Schloss Heimberg, we contributed in a variety of ways to resettlement needs of the aforementioned family in Canada, in collaboration with Temple Emanu-el of Toronto, the synagogue that sponsored the family. We were fortunate to have as our Canadian counterparts in the resettlement Sonia Shields and Adele Nissan.

In 2016 and 2017 SBCares had a presence at the SB Jewish Festival so those attending the Festival would be aware of our work with refugees.

We presented a panel discussion on the global refugee crisis to Congregation B’nai B’rith and participated in community seders at CBB, focusing on refugee issues.

We provided opportunities for people to contribute to refugee needs through the Syrian Refugee sponsorship fund and through the Matthew Abrams Memorial Fund for IsraAid

Some of us aided a Syrian family in Lompoc, when they were evicted from their home. The family was aided primarily by a church in Lompoc.  We helped with an interpreter and some cash donations.

SBCares provided gift cards for clothing for Rohinga refugees through IsraAid. 

We offered financial support to the Peace School, a school for refugee children on the Greek island of Lesbos, where one of our members, Robin Jones, lives part time.  Arthur and Laurie Gross-Schaffer visited the school with Robin when they were on Lesbos.

In 2018 we assembled a travelling photo exhibit (photos by Robin Jones), “Through the Eyes of Children,” featuring lives of refugees. This was previewed at the Jewish Federation building as a fundraiser.  It was also part of an arts and crafts fair at Congregation B’nai B’rith.

Collaborating with 805Undocufund and Others

 Money was raised for 805 Undocufund to help people with Covid shutdown expenses.  These undocumented individuals were not entitled to the government assistance given to others in their economic circumstances.

We provided assistance with fund raising and getting attention for an online event called “Documenting the Undocumented”

We were able to assist with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals--Dreamers) application fees for a number of Dreamers.

The Afgan Family Project 

SBCares helped an Afghan family, who had been living for a short time in Santa Barbara, re-settle in Dallas, through the efforts of Laurie Gross-Schaefer. Settling a family in a new country, a new culture requires considerable efforts on the part of those involved with the family.  Thankfully a number of good people in SB and Dallas were willing to extend themselves.

Working with Interfaith Community 

To bring our work to the interfaith community, in the fall of 2023 we offered a Succot program, “Welcoming the Stranger.”  We set up a Succah in the courtyard of the Unitarian Society and there, under the leadership of Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaefer, we offered a service for Succot.  In addition the service, we explained to the community our hopes that Santa Barbara would offer refuge to immigrants in need of refuge.

Current Projects 

In recent years we’ve begun to focus our fundraising efforts on the critical work of a local organization, the Immigrant Legal Defense Center.  We’ve been quite impressed with their assistance to unaccompanied minors.  Much of the money we’ve been able to raise has supported the excellent work of the ILDC. We’re hoping to facilitate their work with unaccompanied minors by providing Guardians and support teams for the young people who are enrolled in the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS program), a little known provision of U.S. immigration policy.

OUR LINKS TO THE COMMUNITY

We participate in the Interfaith Sanctuary Alliance as the “Jewish component,” with Mary Suydam serving on the ISA Steering Committee.

SBCares has a representative, Karen Schloss Heimberg, to the Interfaith Sanctuary Alliance (ISA) Afghan Resettlement Committee