Central Reform Congregation (CRC) in St. Louis has received the Pathways Leadership Award from HIAS for its efforts in resettling refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine.
In 2022, CRC’s Refugee Resettlement Circle helped resettle an Afghan family of five who fled threats from the Taliban. In 2023, they assisted a young married couple from Crimea, displaced twice after protesting the Russian occupation.
“ ‘Welcoming the stranger’ and tikkun olam are central to CRC’s mission,” said Helen Petty, chair of the Tikkun Olam Steering Committee. “We were searching for a flagship program that reflected our values, and HIAS reached out about Afghan refugee resettlement at the perfect time. It was an ideal way to put our Jewish values into action.”
| RELATED: Shaare Emeth congregants answer call for help from Afghan refugee family
CRC’s team, along with non-members, raised funds to secure and furnish a year’s housing for both families in St. Louis County. They also set up phones, internet access, ESL classes, and assisted with medical needs and school registration. The Afghan family’s eldest daughter received special glasses and medical care thanks to these efforts.
Petty acknowledged the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and securing housing and jobs without essential documents. “None of us had done this work before,” she said. “Convincing landlords and employers to take a chance on newcomers without Social Security cards, licenses or fluent English was tough. But we believed in the families and the strength of our team.”
Today, both families are thriving. Mohammed has started his own business, and the Ukrainian couple has welcomed their first child while continuing to build their lives in St. Louis. The CRC team is now focused on bringing 17 more members of the extended Afghan family to the area.
“The generosity of the entire CRC community has been nothing short of awe-inspiring,” said Petty. “This has been a labor of love for myself and my fellow core group members. While we’ve made a difference in the lives of these families, we often say that we are the lucky ones who get to do this work. It has profoundly enriched our lives.”
