Category: JCOR: Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement

JCOR continues to work with its current refugee family through their twelfth month in the U.S., January 2025, with the goal of helping them settle into their lives here and achieve independence, financial and otherwise.  JCOR volunteers and congregations, donors and other allies have all contributed to their substantial progress toward that goal. 

The family of five is thriving.  All three boys are succeeding in school, with the 14-year-old achieving all “A’s” in the first few weeks of fall semester.  In their off time, they enjoy friendships made over recent months and cruise around on their bikes in this uncommonly warm autumn.  

Work is going well for Mom and Dad:  about 21 hours and 60 hours each week, respectively.  Mom is taking her driving test this month, which means she can run necessary errands while Dad’s at work, using the 20-year-old Toyota that was donated free-and-clear by a generous JCOR ally.  Previously proprietors of their own small businesses, the parents also are taking the earliest steps toward their longer-term goals, an entrepreneurial endeavor for him and higher education for her.

As JCOR continues working with this family, we are ramping up to co-sponsor a new family, hopefully as soon as December.  With this in mind, we are recruiting volunteers with web-design and marketing/fundraising skills or interest in working on our Employment and Transportation teams.  Please contact your JCOR congregational representative(s) Renee Robbins reneerobbins60@gmail.com or Linda Jo Doctor at linda.jo.doctor@gmail.com  or go to the JCOR website to join this exciting and gratifying endeavor in Tikkun Olam.

Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement (JCOR) is an all-volunteer community collaboration founded by six Jewish congregations—Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Beth Israel Congregation, Jewish Cultural Society, Pardes Hannah, and Temple Beth Emeth—to help newly arrived refugees.  JCOR came into existence at the invitation of and works in collaboration with JFS.  – 2024

In the sweetness of summertime, JCOR’s family is making strides and JCOR is looking forward.

The father of JCOR’s current refugee family—our third—has secured his driver’s license and is working full-time-plus. The mother of the family is beginning her new part-time job this month. The parents and their 14-year-old son are accelerating their English as a second language efforts and all three boys are splitting the summer between riding bikes, playing with friends, summer studies, and hitting a nearby pool as often as possible including to celebrate the Fourth of July. They help Mom around the house sometimes, too.

The high point of summer so far was the day the family’s car arrived. This little miracle was made possible by the neighbor of a JCOR volunteer who stepped forward to donate his 20-year-old, 40,000-mile Toyota to JCOR. Thanks to his generosity, the family has the autonomy that personal transportation provides in a community like Ann Arbor where public transportation is challenging.

“Please tell all the people at JCOR how much we appreciate all of the things you are doing to help us begin our lives here,” the father said recently through a translation app. “It is very important to us.”

“For decades, I have not seen such joy in [my husband’s] eyes as I saw when he got the car. You must know how important and happy a moment it was for us,” the family’s mother added.

It is rewarding to know that the support of our six collaborating congregations will be part of this Syrian family’s American origin story.

JCOR will continue to work with this family through January 2025 as they move steadily forward in their pursuit of independence. Simultaneously, we will begin plans for our fourth family. In coming weeks, we will start the process of soliciting donations and contributions of furnishings for our next refugee family’s new home. If you would like to volunteer with us in the fall, please let us know, either by contacting your congregational representative or at jcorannarbor.org.

Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement (JCOR) is an all-volunteer collaboration among six Ann Arbor area congregations: Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Beth Israel Congregation, Jewish Cultural Society, Pardes Hannah, and Temple Beth Emeth who work in partnership with Jewish Family Services to help newly arrived refugees begin their lives in the Ann Arbor area.

Now more than ever, we need opportunities to bridge communities. JCOR is a collaboration among six Ann Arbor Jewish congregations organized to help newly arrived refugees start their lives in Ann Arbor — in partnership with Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County (JFS).

JFS serves a diverse, international population, creating solutions, promoting dignity, and inspiring humanity. Clients, and employees, are of many faiths including a great number of Jews and Muslims working, helping, and talking together.

JCOR’s new refugee family will arrive before Thanksgiving!  Preparations are on fast-forward and excitement is rising as their arrival date approaches.  

Before they arrive, JCOR needs volunteers for these critical teams:

• Welcome and Housing 
  Members of this team will meet the family at the airport, take them to their temporary accommodations, and make sure they’re settled in for their first week.  Team members simultaneously seek appropriate longer-term housing for the family, seek donations of furnishings, small appliances, and other items to help make the family’s new space a home.  Additionally, enthusiastic move-in volunteers young and old will be needed to help put it all together.
• Transportation Dispatch 
  Newly arrived refugees often need help getting to health care appointments, job interviews, or after-school activities.  If you have occasional free time on weekdays, you can make a big difference in their lives by helping them reach these important destinations.

The family also will need furniture including a couch, chairs, tables, lamps, dressers, bed frames, and so on.

To make a financial or gift card donation: click here

To get answers to questions, contact Pardes Hannah representatives Linda Jo (ljd@wkkf.org) or Renee (reneerobbins60@gmail.com)

About JCOR:  Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement is a participant in Jewish Family Service’s Co-Sponsorship Program.  JCOR member congregations include Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Beth Israel Congregation, Jewish Cultural Society, Pardes Hannah, and Temple Beth Emeth, along with the Jewish Federation which serves as JCOR fiduciary.

Family Update

The refugee family JCOR is supporting will mark six months in the United States in February as the newcomers celebrate their first American Valentine’s Day.  And there’s a lot to love in their half-year story. Both parents now have full-time jobs, and each is seeking a second job to speed their transition to financial independence. Their teenagers are doing well in school and have formed friendships with fellow students, neighbors, and children of other immigrant families in the area. Their holiday school break began with an abundance of bright lights and joyful decorations in the tradition of their home country, and celebrations of the season included outings with a couple of JCOR volunteers and their teenage children. As the family works apace to master English, the daughter, who has professed a passion for the study of languages, has blossomed into the family’s live-in interpreter.  

The father is taking driving classes and expects to have his Michigan operator’s license very soon.  The mother has begun to study for the driving exam and plans to get her license soon as well.

HIAS Refugee Shabbat

The fifth annual Refugee Shabbat is February 3^rd and 4^th. As described by HIAS, Refugee Shabbat “is an annual opportunity to recognize the individuals and organizations within the global Jewish community who work on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, and the forcibly displaced.” 

February 3:  Temple Beth Emeth will participate on Friday evening.  

February 4:  Beth Israel Congregation and Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan will both have a dvar Torah dedicated to resettlement on Shabbat morning, February 4th. Beth Israel’s service will be student-led.  

JCOR supporters are encouraged to participate in these services, regardless of affiliation.

Newcomer Updates

Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement (JCOR) volunteers are actively engaged with our newcomer family members, a mutually rewarding endeavor, as the 90-day anniversary of their arrival approaches.  The family members are taking steady strides in their transition to life in Michigan, including a shopping trip with JCOR to acquire winter-ready boots and socks, jackets and sweaters, gloves and scarves.  So equipped, their transition from balmy sunshine and gentle breezes to Michigan’s approaching snow and ice will be challenging, but not punishing. 

The teenagers are adapting well to middle school and high school, respectively, and the younger sibling has joined his school’s instrumental music program.  Both are rapidly acquiring English language skills, have received new prescription eyeglasses, and now can access the internet from home as needed for schoolwork.  Mom and Dad are actively engaged in the daunting process of searching for jobs, with help from JFS and JCOR in identifying employment opportunities and providing translation services and transportation for interviews.  The entire family is gaining a better understanding of the AAATA schedules, so much so that the parents’ first set of bus passes recently had to be renewed.  Parents and children regularly attend English as Second Language lessons.  They are all excited to acquire English skills, and the daughter—who has a knack for languages—has expressed an interest in learning additional languages, including specifically Chinese.

JCOR has a website

In October, JCOR volunteers built and launched the new JCOR website, jcorannarbor.org.  This valuable tool helps JCOR member congregations and volunteers stay connected and informed.  The page also provides an easy pathway for the broader community to learn about JCOR and for potential volunteers and donors to make contact.  Now that it’s build, we need a volunteer or two to keep it current. This is a tech, not writing role; all content will be provided.  Please consider if you, or someone you know, might be able to fill this critical need.

We are excited about the opportunity to welcome a refugee family to Ann Arbor, working together with all the other Jewish communities in Ann Arbor and Jewish Family Services to bring this about. We hope to build our muscle with the first family in order to support others in the future. 

Below is a communal letter that went out to all the Jewish congregations/minyanim in Ann Arbor, explaining what individuals can contribute in support of this effort. Please join us in sharing your time and treasure toward this important work. 

To members of the Pardes Hannah community,

Most of our family histories include stories of caring people who stepped up to help our great grandparents, grandparents, or parents resettle in this country. Today we are challenged to step up and help another generation of refugees.

You have seen the news: The United States initially expected to admit 125,000 refugees this year. Then 80,000 more arrived from Afghanistan. Now, an additional 100,000 Ukrainian refugees are expected.

Jewish Family Services (JFS) is working tirelessly to do its share here in Washtenaw County and is requesting OUR help.

To this end, representatives from Beth Israel Congregation, Temple Beth Emeth, the Jewish Cultural Society, the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Pardes Hannah, and the Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan have come together to form Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement (JCOR), whose purpose is to support resettlement of a refugee family. Also, the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor will provide fiduciary oversight for all funds donated and disbursed in support of this purpose. And now we need YOU!

Volunteers are needed for committees that will work in partnership with JFS staff to help refugee family members reestablish their independent lives here and orient to American culture. With training from JFS staff, we will do this by helping refugees with housing, transportation, and employment; healthcare and financial planning; and childcare, schooling, and adult ESL classes, as necessary. We also need a cadre of on-call volunteers to help with short-notice critical needs, like last-minute transportation or childcare coverage.

Altogether, we are seeking 30 to 50 volunteers who can be available up to three hours per week during the first two months after the family’s arrival. The time commitments will decrease gradually as the family members become more independent during their first year in the United States.

Of course, we need help with fundraising. JFS recommends collecting $7,000 to $20,000 over the course of the family’s first year. Of this, $4,000 should be available upon the family’s arrival to help cover initial costs.

No one congregation will be singularly responsible or individually committed to provide a specific number of volunteers or a specific amount of funding. But we believe that collectively our Jewish Community can make a difference for our new arrivals and help JFS meet its decades-long dedication to resettlement.

Federation/JCOR donation website.

Thank you! The family members we help resettle today will be the grandparents of tomorrow. As a volunteer in this effort, YOU will make a difference to their future generations!

For more information, please contact Linda Jo Doctor at linda.jo.doctor@gmail.com or email JCORAnnArbor@gmail.com