By Karen Mozenter, CEO 
Jewish Family Services in Columbus was formed over a century ago to serve Jewish refugee and immigrant families. Our services have expanded significantly since those early days, and we now serve families from many different religious, racial and cultural backgrounds in addition to Jewish families. One thing remains the same: the Jewish values that guide our work. One of those core values, Kavod HaBriyot – a recognition of the inherent dignity of each human being – is being challenged right now by rhetoric and actions that are jeopardizing the lives of thousands of our refugee and immigrant neighbors here in Central Ohio.
Many local residents are navigating a period of profound uncertainty due to shifting immigration policies. This includes immigrants who have been part of the fabric of the Central Ohio community for decades as holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS is a vital humanitarian lifeline, offering legal status and work authorization to individuals who cannot safely return to their home countries due to ongoing conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. It offers families peace and security while contributing to local neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces and strengthening our local economy.
Government changes to TPS are now threatening that security, and the underlying fear these individuals have known for so long has crept back in. Local businesses are also facing instability as longtime, reliable employees are suddenly losing their authorization to work.
For many of the families we walk alongside, immigration uncertainty is compounded by immediate, day-to-day survival challenges. Recent reductions in SNAP and Medicaid and rising costs of basic living expenses have left household budgets stretched past their breaking point. Families are being forced to choose between paying rent, securing legal counsel, and putting food on the table.
Our team at Jewish Family Services is trying to help both families and businesses navigate this challenging situation, with very limited resources. The demand for essential food items and hygiene products has reached a critical peak, and our basic needs supplies are nearly exhausted.
When these challenges feel overwhelming, it helps to remember that tangible support is within reach.
In Jewish tradition, the number 18 represents chai – life. Jewish giving often takes the form of a multiple of 18, as a way to symbolically “give life.” Even a small gift can have a life-giving impact. For example, a gift of $36 or double chai can be used to purchase a week’s worth of nutritious shelf-stable grocery essentials for a family in need. It is a simple, powerful reminder that a relatively small collective effort can offer comfort and sustain a life.
In addition to food, we often offer gift cards as a way to provide something equally valuable: dignity. A gift card empowers a parent to select the exact, culturally familiar food or hygiene products for family needs. Gift cards also allow our dedicated case managers to quickly purchase and deliver highly specific, urgent supplies directly to families.
Ways to Stand with Us
We cannot do this work in isolation. If you’d like to make a direct, immediate difference in the lives of our immigrant and refugee neighbors – including those navigating TPS changes and economic hardship – here are ways to help today:
- Provide Gift Cards: Donated grocery or general retail gift cards give families flexibility and immediate relief.
- Donate Supplies: We urgently need shelf-stable food and essential hygiene products to restock our inventory.
- Become a Volunteer Driver: To ensure that transportation barriers don’t stand in the way of survival, we are actively looking for compassionate volunteers to help us deliver food and essential packages directly to families.
- Donate Funds: Financial gifts allow us to respond quickly to urgent needs, purchase high-demand supplies, and directly sustain our support services for local families.
Thank you for standing with us, for advocating for human dignity, and for ensuring that others do not have to walk this road alone.
