HIAS
HIAS (founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society[5]) is a Jewish American nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees. It was established on November 27, 1881, originally to help the large number of Russian Jewish immigrants to the United States who had left Europe to escape antisemitic persecution and violence.[1] In 1975, the State Department asked HIAS to aid in resettling 3,600 Vietnam refugees.[5] Since that time, the organization continues to provide support for refugees of all nationalities, religions, and ethnic origins. The organization works with people whose lives and freedom are believed to be at risk due to war, persecution, or violence. HIAS has offices in the United States and across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Since its inception, HIAS has helped resettle more than 4.5 million people.
Founded
November 27, 1881[1]
New York, New York, U.S.[1]
13-5633307[2]
To rescue people whose lives are in danger for being who they are; to protect the most vulnerable refugees, helping them build new lives and reuniting them with their families in safety and freedom; to advocate for the protection of refugees and assure that displaced people are treated with the dignity they deserve.[2]
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States[3]
Mark J. Hetfield[4]
Jeff Blattner[4]
Charitable Remainder Unitrust[2]
$39,923,260[2]
$36,449,447[2]
$62,944,322[2]
67[2]
25[2]
Hebrew Sheltering Aid Society;
Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society;
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society;
United HIAS Service, Inc.;
Association for the Protection of Jewish Immigrants
Name[edit]
According to HIAS, the acronym HIAS was first used as a telegraphic address and eventually became the universally used name of the organization. A 1909 merger with the Hebrew Sheltering Aid Society resulted in the official name Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society, but the organization continued to be generally known as "H.I.A.S." or more usually as "HIAS",[6][7] which eventually became the official name.
HIAS makes reference to Jewish tradition, values, and texts that call on Jews to help the stranger and to "repair the world" (tikkun olam, in Hebrew).
Thus, since 1975, and even more so since 2000,[5] HIAS as a matter of policy has directed its resources to assist refugees and immigrants of all religions, ethnicities, nationalities, and backgrounds. It has helped many such refugees and immigrants to reunite with their families, and to resettle in the United States. In 2018, the very large majority of such refugees both recently and currently have been non-Jewish.
HIAS also advocates in the United States Congress on policies affecting refugees and immigrants.
HIAS has a presence in 22 countries across the globe.[38] The organization's staff work with refugees living on the margins of foreign cities or in refugee camps. Depending on location, HIAS services can include trauma counseling, art therapy, legal representation, and humanitarian assistance, among others. Working with the U.S. government, the government of Israel, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and a host of non-governmental organizations, HIAS assists refugees with U.S. resettlement and follows through with immigrant integration and citizenship programs. In 1968, HIAS sold HIAS Immigrant Bank to what is known today as IDB Bank, which operated the acquisition as Israel Discount Trust Company, a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
As of 2017, HIAS operates in the following places.
In the United States, HIAS helps resettle refugees from around the world through a national affiliate network of Jewish agencies. It coordinates resettlement services, provides extensive integration and citizenship programs for Russian speaking refugees and immigrants, and gives scholarships to refugees. HIAS also advocates for immigration laws with a network of Jewish, interfaith, and other partners in Washington, DC, and nationwide. Additionally, HIAS promotes educational initiatives that encourage Jewish communities to engage in refugee aid and services. As of 2017, HIAS initiatives include:
In Vienna and Kyiv, HIAS helps Jews and others from 43 countries receive protection and seek asylum or resettlement. In 2016 HIAS opened an office on the Greek island of Lesvos to provide legal services for refugees arriving by sea, predominantly from Syria.
In the Middle East, HIAS helps Jewish and other religious minorities from Iran come to the U.S. In Israel, HIAS provides scholarships for those who have recently immigrated to Israel and assists African asylum seekers. The organization also supports the resettlement of refugees of the Syrian Civil War in Jordan.[40]
In Chad, HIAS provides trauma counseling and social services in 12 of that country's camps for refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan and facilitates relocation for those who need additional protection. In Kenya, HIAS' trauma counseling and resettlement operations focus on the needs of the most vulnerable of the 250,000 people displaced by conflicts in Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In Latin America, HIAS provides full-service counseling, legal services, and humanitarian assistance for Colombian refugees fleeing to Ecuador, Venezuela, and the United States. It also facilitates the resettlement and integration of refugees in Argentina and Uruguay. HIAS opened its newest Latin American office in Costa Rica, in February 2017.
HIAS archives[edit]
Some records of HIAS from 1900 to 1970 (415 linear feet and 851 reels of microfilm) are currently held by YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and are available for research.[41] Other records (more than 1,800 linear feet) are held by the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) and are currently being processed.[42][43] The bulk of these records span from the late 1940s to the 1990s but some records (such as the meeting minutes of the board of directors) go back as far as 1912. These records will be available for research in late 2018.[42]
Citations: