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Sponsoring a refugee Afghan family: a synagogue, a mosque and a church.
Since the Afghan War ended, in the greater Washington DC area alone 3,700 Afghan refugees have arrived, overwhelming social services agencies.
Many refugees are in limbo, so Rabbi Adam Raskin and his congregants at Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac, Maryland decided to sponsor a refugee family.
"We thought it was very much in line with our values," Rabbi Raskin told The Washington Post.
"For Jews, many of whom were refugees from places of persecution, there is a special sensitivity for this issue."
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The Rabbi realized, "We could do this on our own. But wouldn't it be amazing to collaborate with a Christian and Muslim congregation."
So, he invited St. Francis Episcopal Church and the Islamic Community Center of Potomac and both congregations happily joined in.
They sponsored the Wahdat family, recently resettled in College Park, Maryland, comprised of a 36-year-old father, a 30-year-old mother and their 19-month-old daughter.
Among the many tasks the three congregations are doing are helping the Wahdat family to obtain a work authorization and Social Security cards.
They will be helping the family to begin English classes, the father to seek job opportunities and to register their daughter in school.
Stew Remer of Congregation Har Shalom has been visiting the family and reports that the family is deeply moved by what is happening.
"Each...time we brought something to their apartment to help furnish it, or donated clothing to them or clothes for their daughter or took them shopping with gift cards we provided, the father was very thankful to us."
Although for now the father speaks only Pashto, Stew said, "I recall him placing his hand over his heart and nodding." For he knows strangers have united to embrace him and his family.
Editor's Note: To learn more washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/02/09/afghan-refugee-maryland-interfaith-sponsor/.
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