In 2016, Beth El Synagogue began to sponsor and welcome refugee families to Omaha in coordination with the Refugee Resettlement program at Lutheran Family Services. That year, Nebraska resettled more refugees per capita than any other state. As of 2019, Beth El has sponsored three refugee families, with participation from over three dozen congregants and clergy.

In coordination with HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Beth El will observe Refugee Shabbat during services March 13, followed by a talk with Stacy Martin, President and CEO of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS). That evening following Havdallah, we will screen the film, "A Home Called Nebraska" and host a discussion panel afterwards via Zoom.

Saturday Morning - Shabbat Services Followed by Guest Speaker Stacy Martin
Services begin at 10:00 am; Stacy will speak at approximately 11:00 am
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/388040397
We will dedicate sacred time and space to refugees and asylum seekers during Shabbat morning services on March 13. Following services we will welcome Stacy Martin, President and CEO of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS).

Martin’s entire career path has been one of serving refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. Prior to her work at LFS in Nebraska, she served as the Executive Vice President for programs at Lutheran Services Florida, one of the largest human services organizations in the country. Prior to that she was VP at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a non-governmental organization.

Martin graduated summa cum laude from Sterling College. She earned an MBA from Eastern University and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, where she was a Presidential Fellow. Martin, her spouse, and her two children live in Omaha, where she was born.

Saturday Night - "A Home Called Nebraska" Film & Panel Discussion
Program begins at 7:45 pm.
Click here to register.
Click here to submit questions for our panelists.

“A Home Called Nebraska” is an independent film completed in 2020, profiling the story of local refugees and their “welcome home” to Nebraska. With stunning cinematography and heart-tugging narrative, “A Home Called Nebraska” was filmed here in Nebraska by Directors/Producers George and Beth Gage, with the support of the Nebraska Independent Film Project (NIFP).

With more than 80 million people worldwide who have fled their homes due to persecution and violence, we are now witnesses to one of the largest humanitarian crises in human history. Over the last four years in the United States, the administration had essentially ground the U.S. refugee admissions program to a halt and decimated the asylum system.

As the current administration began we heard a public announcement of the intention to restart the refugee admission program, and we celebrate the opportunity to look towards a return to the value of Welcoming the Stranger. Those in need of a safe place to call home will once again find open arms and continuing support in the Jewish community for pro-refugee and asylum seeker policies across the globe.

GAGE & GAGE PRODUCTIONS
www.gageandgageproductions.com
Beth & George Gage

Donation Opportunities
See below for donation opportunities to Beth El's Welcoming the Stranger Fund, Lutheran Family Services Refugee Resettlement Program, HIAS and the Nebraska Independent Film Project.

• Beth El's Welcoming The Stranger Fund enables us to welcome refugee families to Omaha by providing household items and post-arrival support. Click here to donate. Donations may also be sent by mail to Beth El Synagogue, with “Welcoming the Stranger” in the memo line.
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  Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS) With the expected increase from 15,000 to 62,500 refugees under the new administration, your gift helps LFS prepare to welcome those coming from harsh realities to a welcoming and embracing state where they will start their new lives. Click here to donate. Donations may also be sent by mail to Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, with “Refugee Shabbat” in the memo line.
   
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  HIAS rescues people whose lives are in danger for being who they are. Guided by our Jewish values and history, we bring more than 139 years of expertise to our work with refugees. Click here to donate. Donations may also be sent by mail to HIAS, with “Beth El Omaha Refugee Shabbat” in the memo line.
   
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  Nebraska Independent Film Projects (NIFP) supports Nebraska filmmakers with fiscal sponsorship. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to NIFP and support community outreach efforts for Gage & Gage’s “A Home Called Nebraska” film. Donations may also be sent by mail to NIFP with “A Home Called Nebraska” in the memo line.

Resources to Learn More About the Worldwide Refugee Crisis:

• Watch the trailer for “A Home Called Nebraska” (screen shot below)
  
• The HIAS blog and video gallery are updated frequently with information about various worldwide refugee crises as they evolve, and advocacy and volunteer opportunities with HIAS to help.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately hard impact on refugees and migrants. They are often exposed to the virus with limited tools to protect themselves, and public health measures to not always reach them. Read this report from the World Health Organization to learn more about how the pandemic has impacted refugees.
• For most of human history, people have lived within a surprisingly narrow range of temperatures in the places where the climate supported abundant food production. As the planet warms, those regions are shifting. Entire nations will lose their ability to farm grains and vegetables. Read more about how ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine have modeled how climate refugees might move across international borders.
• In a photographic timeline covering the start of the Greek migration crisis in 2015 to the present, Nicola Zolin shows how the Greek islands changed from a starting point or stopover to a permanent home for thousands of refugees. The fires in the Moria refugee camp in the fall of 2020 were devastating and the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation.
• Celebrated author and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Neil Gaiman joined forces with hundreds of fans and artists to release a new animated version of his poem, "What You Need To Be Warm". The poem reflects the journeys and challenges refugees face, especially in the cold, winter months. Gaiman asked his Twitter followers to share words and memories of warmth as inspiration for the poem.
• Explore the UNHCR’s (the UN refugee agency) video archives, which includes stories of refugees from all over the world.