7th September 2015

The pictures and news of the last few days have shocked the world and left many asking “what can I do to support those refugees who need urgent help?”

A million Syrian children are languishing in refugee camps. Thousands of people have died. We are facing Europe’s greatest refugee crisis since the Second World War.

Liberal Judaism has teamed up with a number of partner organisations to suggest practical ways you can help, from displaying your support to donating money to finding homes for refugee families.

Below are details and links that you can use right away to play your part in resolving this humanitarian crisis.

Citizens UK – Citizens UK and Liberal Judaism have been campaigning for the last year to get local authorities to pledge to resettle just 50 refugees each.

Many councils are willing, but they need our help to find appropriate homes for families in the private rented sector. Our organisations want to see 10,000 refugees resettled here each year for at least the next two years. That’s likely to mean 5,000 homes need to be found for families over the two year period. Therefore we desperately need landlords to join the Homes for Resettled Refugees Register, and everyone to try and find landlords and letting agents in their area who might help, and get them to sign up.

Sign the Register -> http://www.citizensuk.org/help_find_homes_for_syrian_refugees

Citizens UK local organising guide -> http://www.citizensuk.org/resettlement_campaign_local_organising_guide

World Jewish Relief – World Jewish Relief has launched its Refugee Crisis Appeal. As the Jewish community’s response to international disasters, WJR are once more appealing for our community’s generous support.

World Jewish Relief was instrumental in the Kindertransport – supporting desperate Jewish refugees from the Nazis. With 80 years experience, the charity is well placed to assist those in dire need. World Jewish Relief will begin a humanitarian operation providing food, shelter, medicine and hygiene kits to refugees in Turkey, Bulgaria or Greece who are fleeing war and persecution.

Donate to WJR now -> https://www.worldjewishrelief.org/ways-to-give/appeals/refugee-crisis/donate-step-1/

Tzelem – Tzelem is the UK’s cross-communal rabbinic call for social and economic justice.

Liberal Judaism and all branches of Judaism are working with Tzelem on a strategic, long-term response to the current crisis, which we will post details about soon. We are also asking communities to place a banner stating ‘Refugees are Welcome’ outside, or if this is not possible then inside, their buildings and synagogues – posting the the photos on Twitter or Facebook

Get your banner -> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1odNtTtecfpPLPWNqiNust8yo4iSpXvifqaEBshN5eTA/edit

Solidarity with Refugees March – Supported by Syria Solidarity Movement, the Refugee Council, Refugee Action and Amnesty International, this march will at Marble Arch on September 12.

The aim is to show support for positive change ahead of a key conference on September 14, when British Home Secretary Theresa May will be attending a meeting of the EU’s 28 member states for emergency talks. The march will help ensure that the Home Secretary takes with her the conviction that the British people that she represents are open to helping refugees and that we can’t continue to allow thousands to die trying to reach the EU.

Join the march -> https://www.facebook.com/events/1047978998546751/

UK Government Petition – More than 400,000 people, including many Liberal Judaism rabbis, leaders and members, have signed the petition asking the Government to accept more asylum seekers and increase support for refugee migrants in the UK.

The more people who sign, the more impact we can have and the more chance there is of the Government taking real action.

Sign the petition -> https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/105991/