What's new? The Yunus family has been here for less than half a year, and they have already accomplished a great deal. Eliyas (father) is continuing to work at a plastics manufacturing company and Akiya (mother) has truly grown in her efforts to improve her English skills by studying hard and regularly attending class, even switching easily to Zoom classes when necessary. Okaisha is enrolled in school now, and has adapted to remote learning in the last few months. Onais is doing well also.
Refugee Resettlement Project
Torah reminds us 36 times that our people were once strangers in the land of Egypt, and so we should, therefore, empathize with the most vulnerable among us. We know what it is to wander the wilderness, sleeping in makeshift huts, uncertain of the future. Therefore, our faith calls upon us to act.
On January 8, 2020, NSCI welcomed Elias & Akiya and their 5 year-old son, Okaisha, and 8 month-old son, Onais. They are Burmese Muslim, and most recently have been living in Malaysia. After so many years of waiting, and more than 30 hours of travel, it was such a joy to welcome the family at O’Hare International Airport and bring them to their lovingly decorated new home in Chicago.
In the weeks before the family’s arrival, our community donated housewares and money for furniture, ensuring that Eliyas, Akiya, and their young sons would be comfortable when they arrived at their new apartment in Rogers Park. The weekend before their arrival, volunteers schlepped carloads of housewares into the city and up flights of stairs to the apartment, sorted boxes of donations, cleaned and organized the closets and kitchen cabinets, caulked the bathtub and scrubbed the toilet & sink. More than decorating the apartment so that it was ready for them, we came together to create a home for the newest members of our community, and modeled our sacred obligation as Jews to welcome the stranger.
In the coming months, NSCI volunteers will meet weekly with the family for both friendly visits and to help tutor them in English. RefugeeOne will also help support the family in many ways, including helping Eliyas & Akiya train and later apply for employment, with the goal that they will be self-reliant 6-8 months after their arrival.
Questions? Please contact Rabbi Ryan Daniels at rabbidaniels@nsci.org or 847.835.0724.
Donate to 17: NSCI Refugee Resettlement Project
If you are able to help, please make checks payable to “NSCI” and write “Refugee Resettlement Project” on the memo line. Please mail checks to NSCI, Attn: Rabbi Ryan Daniels, 1185 Sheridan Road, Glencoe, IL 60022, or click HERE to donate online.
Highland park Family Pays it Forward
Click HERE to read an inspiring article by Ray Richmond, who was able to "pay it forward" and help NSCI's new refugee family.
How Does Refugeeone and NSCI Help the Family?
For more information from RefugeeOne, including valuable volunteer education, please click HERE.
