Leviticus 19:33-34
(33) When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong them. (34) The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I Adonai am your G-d.
וַיִּקְרָא יט:לג-לד
.לג וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, בְּאַרְצְכֶם--לֹא תוֹנוּ, אֹתוֹ.
.לד כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם, וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ--כִּי-גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם: אֲנִי, ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.
Dear Senator Schumer,
As rabbis and Jewish community leaders in New York State, we want to thank you for prioritizing the inclusion of a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, essential workers, and their families, in any economic recovery or infrastructure legislation that moves forward via budget reconciliation. As we continue to confront a public health and economic crisis that has claimed more than 500,000 lives and exacerbated deep racial and economic inequities, it is vital that we include protections for immigrant workers to secure the health of our nation and to lay the foundation for a just recovery.
Our history and tradition commands us to love the stranger; variations on this passage appear in the Torah no fewer than 36 times.
An estimated five million undocumented immigrants, including 202,500 DACA recipients and 131,300 TPS holders, serve our country everyday as essential workers. Nearly 20 percent of all undocumented essential workers work in the essential retail sector, including in restaurants and grocery stores. Over 400,000 are healthcare workers, serving us and our loved ones as doctors, nurses, and home health aides, or working in key jobs that keep health care settings up and running. About 660,000, nearly 12 percent, are in the essential services industry, which includes landscaping and child care service. Undocumented essential workers have stepped up to serve our country in a time of crisis, and have been central to keeping our country moving and healthy during this this historic, tragic time. They should all be able to apply for U.S. citizenship, as should all DACA and TPS recipients who are not essential workers.
Permanent protection for individuals who live under the fear of detention and deportation, as well as the constant threat of exploitation, is not just the moral action, but also the most sensible choice. Living with so much uncertainty only harms these crucial workers, as well as our community and our economy more broadly. Pathways to citizenship for essential workers and their families, Dreamers and TPS holders are inextricably linked to America’s recovery, as they would increase wages and productivity throughout the U.S. economy, create jobs, generate additional tax revenue, strengthen worker protections for immigrant and native workers alike, and lift many families out of poverty.
Immigrant justice is especially personal to the American Jewish community, many of whom owe our lives to the fact that we or an ancestor were able to immigrate to this country. The Jewish population in America is diverse and complex, including by race, gender, orientation, ability, and immigration status. Even now, undocumented Jews working in essential industries like healthcare fear that their ability to continue aiding and caring in this challenging time might be cut short.
Jewish tradition instills in us a commitment to protect the oppressed and welcome the outsider. We have a long history of active engagement in supporting immigrants and refugees. We are united in our belief that we, as a society, share a moral and civic duty to help create the same opportunities for those who seek to share in the American Dream.
Again, we urge you to ensure a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, essential workers, and their families are included in the final deal, in order to ensure a robust recovery that is inclusive and equitable for all Americans regardless of their immigration status. Immigrant workers and their families are vital to the fabric of our nation. It is time our government acts accordingly.
If we can provide any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson at mhughesrobinson@truah.org or Sophie Ellman-Golan at sophie@jfrej.org.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Aaron Brusso
Rabbi Adam Fisher, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Isaiah, Stony Brook
Alan G. Himmelstein, Immigration Committee Head, Temple Israel Center, White Plains; Executive Committee Member, Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration
Alan Ganek
Alane Ellenbogen
Alice R. Schiff, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Amy Kass
Amy Rosenbaum, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Andrue Kahn
Ann V. Schaffer, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Cantor Anna Chapman May
Anne Corey, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Audrey Sasson, Executive Director, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice
Rabbi Ayelet S. Cohen
Rabbi Barat Ellman
Barbara Baker, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Professor Barbara Schecter, Sarah Lawrence College
Barbara Weinstein
Rabbi Ben Goldberg, Port Chester
Betsy Miller Landis, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Billy Dreskin, Rabbi Emeritus, Woodlands Community Temple, White Plains
Rabbi Bob Gluck
Brad Hoylman, New York State Senator
Bunny Rosen
Rabbi Burton Visotzky
Cathleen Barnhart
Cecile Stein, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Charles P. Rabinowitz
Charlotte Cole, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Claudia M. Bloch, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Cora Gordon
Cynthia Ehrenkrantz, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Daniel M. Bronstein, Hunter College
Rabbi Daniel Ross, Central Synagogue
David Chalfin, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, White Plains
David Ellenson
David Katz
Rabbi David L. Kline
David Peck
Debby Glasser
Denise Abner
Diane Girdwoyn Caspe
Diane Travers, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Elana Nemitoff Bresler
Elise Goldman
Elizabeth Clain
Ellen Hoffer Cohen
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Rabbi Emerita, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives, Brooklyn
Elliott J. Rosen
Rabbi Elliott M. Tepperman, Bnai Keshet
Emily Cohen, President, Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester
Rabbi Emily Cohen, West End Synagogue
Esther Levy, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Eve Jaskow, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Felicia Sol
Francine Stein
Fred Mehlman
Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed
Gary Freidman, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Gloria Lazar, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Guy Austrian, Fort Tryon Jewish Center
Harry J. Waizer, Board Chair, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Harry Jellinek, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Helen Rosenberg
Rabbi Hilly Haber, Central Synagogue
Holly Rosen Fink, Co-Founder and President, Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration
Howard Rattner
Rabbi Ilanit Lauren Goldberg-Gradess, Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Iris Levine
Jack Simkhay
Rabbi Jade Sank Ross
Cantor Janet Leuchter
Rabbi Jeffrey Marker
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, Founder & CEO of Dayenu
Rabbi Joan Glazer Farber, (Reform)
Joan Rosen
Joel Crystal
Rabbi Jonathan L. Rubenstein, Temple Sinai, Saratoga Springs
Rabbi Jonathan Slater
Josephine Kellman
Rabbi Joshua Stanton
Rabbi Joshua Strom
Joy H. Brownstein, Tikkun Olam/Social Action Chair, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Judith B, Edelstein
Judith Zingher, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Karen Hamlin, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Karen S. Dolins, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Keith Blackman
Laura Rotter
Laura Solomon, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, SAJ-Judaism that Stands for All
Lee DiTullio
Lee Jason Goldberg
Lenore Geller
Rabbi Lester B. Bronstein, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, White Plains
Liba Bronstein-Schwartz
Loren Napoli, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Lori Kapner Hosp
Dr. Lynne Hoffman
Rabbi Mackenzie Zev Reynolds
Madeline Ritter, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action - Riverdale
Rabbi Marc J. Margolius, Institute for Jewish Spirituality
Marc Landis, URJ North American Board of Trustees
Marie Samtula, Bookkeeper, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Marilyn Weintraub
Marjorie Feder
Maxine Sugarman
Rabbi Mia Simring
Rabbi Michael Feinberg
Michael Goldman
Rabbi Mira Rivera, Board Certified Chaplain (Conservative)
Rabbi Miriam Grossman
Miriam R. Koren, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Neala Markowitz, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Norman Ettenger
Rabbi Pamela Wax
Patricia Cipora Harte
Paulina Ram, Occupational Therapist
Penny Grossman, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Dr. Penny Massoth Beckman
Peter B. Ackerman
Peter Bernstein
Peter Cohen, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Phyllis Goldman
Phyllis Rosen, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rachel B. Tiven
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg, Founder of Malkhut
Rachel Gordon Bernstein
Rabbi Rachel Timoner, Congregation Beth Elohim
Raphaelle Haimowitz, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi Rena S. Blumenthal
Rabbi Renni S. Altman
Dr. Richard Woodrow
Risa Kaufman
Robert Balin
Roberta M. Roos
Rochelle Leiber-Miller
Roni Sarig
Rosie Aronin, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Ruth L. Cowan, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Ruth Messinger
Ruth Rothseid
Sally L. Hoffman, Chavurat Tikvah
Rabbi Sarah Berman
Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker
Shelli W. Katz, Woodlands Community Temple, Co-Chair NYCD 16 Indivisible Immigrant Justice Committee
Shirley Green
Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub
Simon Aronin, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Stephen Glusker, Woodlands Community Temple
Sue Ellen Dodell, Bend the Arc Jewish Action - Riverdale
Susan Blumberg
Rabbi Susan Falk (Reconstructionist)
Rabbi Susan L. Oren
Susan Robin Leon
Susan Schwartz
Terri Sperber
Terry Toll, Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration
Theo Liebmann, Clinical Professor of Law
Theodora Saal
Tod Cooperman
Vicki S. Ettenger
Vicki Stein
Victoria Presser, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
Victoria Rosal Greif, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue
*Affiliations listed for identification purposes only*