A $1,000 donation to JCFS Chicago recently provided some residents with the opportunity to pay it forward. The anonymous donor of the generous gift made one request—that residents of JCFS-supported integrated community living homes use the funds to purchase gifts for others.

For many immigrants, applying for U.S. citizenship can seem overwhelming. Take Agnes Enriquez, a Montessori preschool teacher who immigrated nearly 20 years ago: she didn’t apply for citizenship after receiving her green card in 2008 because she was busy raising her children and worried she would not have time to study.

But recent news of valid green card holders being denied reentry into the United States after traveling out of the country gave her pause.

The plight of refugees has been a constant life theme for retired attorney and former college educator Fred Wellisch, a JCFS Chicago HIAS Immigration & Citizenship volunteer.

For her bat mitzvah project, Ava Bednyak, 13, decided to raise funds to support a young family of three who recently moved to Chicago to escape the war in Ukraine. She connected with JCFS Chicago’s HIAS Immigration & Citizenship program to get started right away.

Bikes & Music was launched in 2020. They collect used bicycles and musical instruments, refurbish them, and get them to families via various nonprofits – including HIAS Immigration & Citizenship here at JCFS Chicago.

Alexis and Jerry Bednyak have become a driving force in Chicago’s philanthropic community. In 2016, the couple founded the Alexis and Jerry Bednyak Foundation to support a variety of causes, including immigrant and refugee rights, educational inequities, medical research, and children’s mental health. While their reach is broad, the couple focuses on “paying it forward” by donating to causes they are personally connected to.

Each person’s background and story is unique

Emily came to JCFS after months of conflict and unhappiness. Through counseling she was able to identify unhealthy patterns and gain the strength to take control of her life.

Over 70 million people are displaced around the world because of violence, war and persecution – the greatest displacement in history^₁. As Jews, we live by the value of Tikkun Olam – the repair of the world – and talk frequently of the importance of welcoming the stranger. We have a unique responsibility to support refugees and asylum seekers and raise our voices in opposition to the negative rhetoric and policy changes that we are bearing witness to today.

We at JCFS Chicago cannot overstate our absolute condemnation of this practice. We are calling for confirmation that the cessation of any further separation is in place unconditionally, and for the immediate reunification of all children who have already been separated.

Jessica Schaffer, Director of HIAS Chicago, recently attended an immigration action rally led by JCUA and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights at Federal Plaza. The rally was in support of immigration reform, specifically asking legislators to pass permanent solutions for DACA and TPS recipients.