Dear John,

When it comes to protecting the safety of refugees, the Jewish community knows there is not a moment to delay.

That’s why more than 1,100 Jewish clergy from around the country have come together this first week of the Biden administration to call for urgent action to support refugees and express the ongoing commitment of the Jewish community to welcoming refugees with compassion.

Read the 2021 National Jewish Clergy Letter in support of refugees and asylum seekers and see the list of signers.

In the name of pikuach nefesh, saving lives, the letter asks the Biden administration to reverse the policies of the last administration, which severely damaged every pathway to safety in the United States for those fleeing persecution and violence.  

A powerful expression of our values, this letter represents more than the 1,100+ rabbis and cantors who signed. It represents thousands of Jewish community members across the country who have stood firmly with refugees in recent years and refused to stay silent as we witnessed unconscionable policies such as the Muslim Ban, family separation, the closing of the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers, and the dismantling of the refugee resettlement program. It represents the volunteers who built local interfaith response teams, welcomed refugees into their neighborhoods, met with elected officials, witnessed at the border, and took to the streets in protest.

In this new moment, our collective advocacy matters to ensure the protection of refugees. Read the clergy letter here, and join our movement to take action.

Thank you for all that you do,