“Do not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)
Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly is a member of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable whose signature campaign this year is immigration reform and was one of the original signatories to HIAS’ We Were Strangers Too Campaign;
Whereas the United States and Canada have long been a haven for immigrants seeking the political, economic and religious freedoms this country offers and in particular Jews have relied and continue to rely on fair and open immigration policies; and
Whereas the Torah repeatedly emphasizes the value of kindness and respect for the stranger; and
Whereas there has been a deterioration in public policy toward the acceptance of new immigrants and treatment of non-citizens; and
