HIAS in the United States
HIAS' initial mission at its founding in 1881 was to aid and assist in the resettlement of Jews in the U.S. Founded by the established New York Jewish community for Jews arriving from Europe, HIAS' work was driven by the biblical commandment to "welcome the stranger, for you too were strangers in Egypt." Today, HIAS remains committed to these principles and in 2008 resettled refugees from trouble spots around the world, through our national affiliate network of Jewish family service agencies and other local community partners.
However, our job does not stop at resettlement - we also play a key role in the following areas:
- Integrating and acculturating those we brought here through citizenship programs and voter programs
- Awarding scholarships so that our former clients and their children can achieve their goals through higher education
- Developing the next generation of HIAS activists through our Young Leadership program
- Helping families find long-lost relatives and retrieve their family trees through our Family Location Services
- Advocating for generous immigration policies as the American Jewish community's "voice" in Washington on all matters pertaining to immigration and refugees
