
This week’s Torah portion tells the end of the Passover story, detailing the last plagues and giving God’s instructions on how the Israelites are to observe the Passover festival from then on. The explanation includes information on who can and cannot partake of the Passover sacrifice. This section of the parashah ends with the injunction that the stranger in their midst should be treated the same as the citizen (Ex. 12:49). This pronouncement is repeated in Leviticus 19, the Holiness Code (Lev. 19:34). Thirty-six times in Torah we are reminded to love the stranger as ourselves and not to oppress the stranger, for we know what it is to be a stranger in a strange land.
Today our immigrant siblings are under attack. They are threatened with mass deportations, regardless of how long they have been in this country, regardless of how law-abiding they have been. Their children, born in this country, are threatened with the loss of their Constitutionally guaranteed citizenship right. The ICE policy which forbids immigration officials from entering sensitive locations, including hospitals, schools, and houses of worship, has been rescinded. DACA recipients are at risk of losing their legal status, and since the government has all their contact information, they are at greater risk of deportation.
As Jews, we are enjoined to love our neighbors, including the stranger among us, as we love ourselves. But these are not strangers, these are friends, colleagues, fellow students, business owners, people we know from the workplace and from the community. Most importantly, they are human beings made in the image of God, and deserving the same respect and dignity as are we all. We have to step up, take action.
Some suggested actions from Indivisible can include:
1. Protect our children with Indivisible’s Safe Schools for Every Student toolkit: Trump’s decision to strip "sensitive locations" protections has left schoolchildren vulnerable to ICE enforcement, spreading fear among immigrant families. Indivisible’s new toolkit empowers local Indivisible groups to demand school boards adopt policies that keep schools safe for every student, regardless of immigration status. Adapted from the National Education Association’s Guidance on Immigration Issues, this toolkit includes actionable steps, legal insights, model policies, and outreach materials to help communities stand strong and ensure every child can learn without fear.
2. Volunteer your legal expertise: Attorneys, this one’s for you. Your skills can help protect immigrant families from unjust deportations and ensure they receive the legal support they deserve by volunteering to provide virtual counsel and advice or representing a family or youth in immigration proceedings. The Immigration Advocates Network connects attorneys with opportunities to assist those in need, offering guidance every step of the way. Sign up to volunteer and be a lifeline for vulnerable communities.
3. Support immigrant advocacy groups: Organizations providing legal aid, direct support, and sanctuary to immigrants are on the frontlines of this fight. They need our help now more than ever. Donate to the National Immigration Law Center (or an organization of your choosing) today.
-Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
Comments