Welcoming the Stranger
Putting words into action makes a big difference. Last week and over Shavuot, we looked at the plight of recent refugees and migrants coming into our area. For those of us who came together over Shavuot, we explored the Book of Ruth through the lens of the refugee, the migrant. What we found was a text that gave us a model, a blueprint on how to treat one another. Truly welcoming the stranger does not happen all at once. It is a gradual process with a few kind people leading the way.
What can we do? Here is where we can help. We can help our new neighbors to the north who are being settled in Yonkers. Marti Michael has shared the following with us: “Westhab, a local social services agency, has been tasked with helping asylum families who have been bussed from the southern border to NYC, and then to areas outside NYC, including Yonkers.” They said in the coming weeks they will have more info about how to help.
Here is an Amazon list they put together to support these families:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/
“Westhab is proud to share that we are in the process of mobilizing to take on operations of the Yonkers site. We are committed to welcoming and serving these new members of our community with the same level of care and compassion that we provide all of our clients!” Read a message from Westhab's President & CEO Rich Nightingale HERE.