Jewish Community for Refugee Resettlement (JCARR) was established in 2015 by five area synagogues (Congregation Beth-El-Keser Israel (BEKI), Congregation B'nai Jacob, Congregation Mishkan Israel, Congregation Or Shalom, and Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven) and the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven. They came together to welcome, sponsor and support refugee families new to our area.

From Khadija, one of our refugees: “Immigration is a bittersweet experience. It is harsh and difficult, but honestly, it has taught me many things I wouldn’t have learned if I was still in my country. Immigration is not an end, but the beginning of success when you finally find the courage in yourself.”

This week, Aminah, a member of JCARR’s Family #2, was invited by City Seed to participate in a conference on working in the food industry in NYC, sponsored by the Hot Bread Kitchen. Amelia Reese Masterson, Executive Director of City Seed, said that Aminah’s leadership skills have been recognized and her English is better than other chefs at City Seed, so she was selected to attend the conference.  She attended sessions on “Managing Up and Managing Down,” on inclusive decision making, hiring across cultures, cultural competency, conflict resolution, rights as an employee, and the relationship between managers and employees.  Amelia said they hope Aminah continues to grow in her leadership role in Sanctuary Kitchens.