New refugee sponsorship
As our friend Robert Oppenheimer explains, the Emanu-El synagogue downtown has taken the lead on this new sponsorship by a coalition of Jews, Muslims and Christians. Dean Jonathan Thomas at the cathedral is enthusiastic about being involved. St. Philip parishioners have generously supported previous initiatives by Robert helping to bring in Hazara refugees from Afghanistan, who continue to be in our prayers as well. Robert's passion for helping refugees is rooted in owing his own existence to his father's survival as a refugee who was able to flee Germany to Britain after Hitler took power in the early 1930s.
May Shihadeh, a local Palestinian woman, will be coming to speak during announcement time at St. Philip this Sunday (1 December). She will come with Robert (if his health permits) or Dahlia Beck from the synagogue.
What a perfect opportunity for us to respond to a call to service bringing light to a season of darkness. What a way to mark the start of Advent and to work for the kingdom of peace by being able to literally say, "O Come, Emanu-El".
- Dave Conway
A Cry for Help: Reem’s Story
Reem is a Palestinian woman born in Syria, carrying the legacy of her family's displacement from what was then Palestine in the 1948 War. Her life has been marked by relentless loss and hardship, but she remains a devoted mother to her two daughters, aged 16 and 18, who dream of becoming doctors.
Reem’s world shattered in 2012 when her husband was tragically killed in the chaos of the Syrian war while trying to protect his family. Left to care for her daughters alone, Reem faced constant threats and violence, forcing her to flee their home multiple times. With no safe refuge in sight, she sold everything to secure a visitor visa to Thailand, the only option available.
Since 2017, Reem and her daughters have lived in hiding in Thailand, their visas long expired, leaving them vulnerable to arrest. The family survives on meager donations, with no access to school, work, or healthcare. Her daughters study online, clinging to their dreams, but the constant fear of being caught and imprisoned overshadows their lives. Reem dreams of a safe haven where her children can live with dignity, pursue their education, and heal from their trauma.
In response to the ongoing war in Gaza, a multifaith community of Muslims, Jews and Christians came together, initially to start a dialogue and then to sponsor this Palestinian family in dire need. We were moved to action when Reem’s story reached us through a family connection.
This is a chance to make a profound difference. Together, we can help Reem and her daughters find a home here in Canada, a place where they can live free from fear and reclaim their dignity.
Join Us in Supporting Reem: Let us come together, as people of faith and compassion, to provide this family with the stability and hope they so desperately need. Your generosity can change their lives forever.
Initially we need to raise $50,000 to formally sponsor them as refugees to Canada through the Inter-Cultural Association. We will use these funds to pay their expenses for the first year they are here. We are currently completing the necessary sponsorship paperwork, later we will help them adapt to life in Canada. All funds raised will be used to help settle refugees coming to Victoria.
To contribute, see link below to make a tax deductible donation through the Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, or write a cheque to Congregation Emanu-El. 1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria, V8W 2J3. With a comment in the note section saying: "For Refugee Family T82".
https://congregationemanuel.shulcloud.com/payment.php?donation_type_id=6709560
To learn more about this initiative, please contact us at CEE.Refugee@gmail.com
Shalom/Salaam
- May Shihadeh and Robert Oppenheimer
Photo by nour tayeh on Unsplash