..The Coronavirus crisis has hit the asylum seeker community especially hard. Like many in Israel, thousands of asylum seekers have lost their livelihoods, but unlike Israeli citizens, they are not eligible for unemployment benefits. They face this complicated new reality in addition to limited access to social and health services in the first place.
At ASSAF, we stand by the community of refugees and asylum seekers in every way, especially in these difficult times.
- To support the community during this period, we have expanded the distribution of humanitarian and financial assistance, with more food packages, baby supplies, grocery vouchers and financial aid.
- We have increased our support in the community, and added 16 hours a week to our telephone hotline, in addition to the regular 8 hours of weekly reception hours.
- Our social workers and other staff and volunteers are constantly working to help asylum seekers to utilize their rights, and provide them with humanitarian aid and emotional support, in individual sessions or in designated therapy groups.
- This year in particular, it is important for us to bring asylum seekers’ plight to the attention of the State’s authorities, to fight for their rights and ensure that their needs during the Coronavirus crises are known and addressed.
As the Jewish New Year approaches, we invite you to join and support us, so that we can continue to work on behalf of asylum seekers in Israel. During the next month, every Shekel you donate to ASSAF will be doubled by our generous donors.
With your support, we will continue to assist the most vulnerable asylum seekers and advance their rights: of women victims of domestic violence, families in financial distress, children excluded from the education system, survivors of torture and trafficking, people with disabilities, the chronically ill, at-risk youth, and any asylum seeker in need of assistance and support.
Join us and together we will continue to stand by asylum seekers, as always, and especially now.
