Holiday Celebrations
This weekend is filled with Shavuot celebrations from synagogue services, to Torah study sessions, communal meals, and cultural events.
Shavuot, which began yesterday evening, is a festival that marks the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.
NEW: White House Initiative
As we previewed last week, the White House and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched their ALL INside initiative to address homelessness across the United States. The initiative will focus on reducing unsheltered homelessness in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle, and the state of California.
USICH and 19 federal member agencies including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the SSA and more, will partner with state and local governments to boost local efforts to address homelessness.
Refugees
The number of border crossings at the United States-Mexico border has reportedly decreased since the end of Title 42 – which had allowed U.S. officials to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Faith-based organizations involved in refugee resettlement and asylum-seeking express concerns about the broken immigration system. New policies implemented last week are adding strain to shelters on the southern side of the border, as they create temporary fixes without addressing the root cause of the issue.
Organizations such as HIAS, Church World Service, Lutheran Immigration, and Refugee Service are urging the White House to avoid restrictive asylum policies and emphasize the need for legal pathways and comprehensive immigration reform.
Meanwhile, in NYC, Mayor Adams is seeking to weaken a longstanding ruling that requires the city to provide shelter to all who request it. The Mayor's office is citing the influx of migrants as a reason for the administration’s pursuit of legal action to modify the 1984 consent decree known as Callahan v. Carey, ensuring the right to shelter unhoused people in NYC.
The administration’s proposal includes a provision to suspend the right-to-shelter when the city lacks the resources and capacity to maintain sufficient shelter sites. Refugee advocates and lawmakers argue that this decision undermines essential protections and the city's social safety net.
To address the influx of 700 migrants or asylum seekers to NYC per day, Mayor Adams is calling on houses of faith to house asylum seekers. The City is looking for congregations that would be interested in serving 15-19 people a day for up to six months, including breakfast, dinner and showers, for nearly $30,000 a month. 10 houses of worship have expressed interest so far; the goal is for 100 houses of faith to enroll.
Houses of Worship and Development Projects
Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA is planning to develop 16 tiny homes on its property to provide housing for those without a home. The property is surrounded by a residential area and is within walking distance of schools and daycares.
While some members of the community are hesitant to move forward with this project, the congregation voted 106-17 in favor of the project, believing it’s their duty to help others.
Senior Pastor Kathy La Point-Collup, said: “We take our call from the teachings of Jesus to care for those less fortunate and to provide houses for those less fortunate.”
