Thanks to almost 50 donors in Australia and New Zealand, we made $10,000 grants to two Israeli non-profits working with refugees last week.
Read more about the unfolding situation facing people seeking asylum in Israel →
But while our grantees are case managing individuals in an attempt to win protection as refugees, we need to add our own voices to the mix.
We are sending a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu urging him not to deport people seeking asylum in Israel. We’ll be delivering it to the Israel’s Ambassador to Australia later this week.
Israel is a country founded by refugees. And we know our own family stories fleeing persecution and oppression. Staying silent is not an option.
Sign our letter now, and urge the government not to send asylum seekers back to danger.
Sign The Letter →
We’ve never asked our community to write to the Prime Minister before. Our work is usually restricted to the grassroots, providing opportunities for Australian Jews to connect directly with Israeli changemakers who share their values.
But this issue is different. Perhaps more than most, this strikes at the heart of what it means to be Jews. I hope you’ll join me in signing this letter.
$10,000 Grant to Hotline for Refugees and Migrants
Our first grant was to the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Israel’s leading legal clinic working with asylum seekers.
On an individual level, they have been successful at gaining refugee status for survivors of the genocide in Darfur, and they’ve also created sector-wide change by bringing important petitions before the courts, resulting in the nullification of anti-refugee laws.
In the last month they have seen a 200%+ increase in asylum seekers attending their clinic and asking for help. Our funding allows them to staff up their clinic and case manage even more people seeking asylum.
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$10,000 Grant to Kav La'Oved
Our second grant was to Kav La’Oved, a clinic dedicated to helping vulnerable Israelis resolve employment difficulties. Under Israeli law, those with unprocessed refugee claims must deposit 20% of their wages, which is only accessible when they leave the country. This is an attempt by the Israeli government to coerce those seeking asylum to leave ‘voluntarily’.
Our grant to Kav La’oved not only ensures that those who are deported gain access to those funds, but also that they understand their full employment rights and aren’t taken advantage of by their boss or the tax authority.
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