More than one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, HIAS founders were guided by the traditions, texts, and history of the Jewish people – a history of oppression, displacement, and diaspora. Today, HIAS clients come from diverse faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
This past December, Temple Shalom and Congregation Kol Ami of Flower Mound joined together to form the DFW HIAS Welcome Circle. A welcome circle is typically a group of 5-10 individuals who provide financial, resettlement, and emotional support to displaced families and individuals. Group members lead different tasks throughout the resettlement process, with training and oversight from HIAS.
We were fortunate to be assigned one of the last families arriving in North Texas before the travel ban took effect in early 2026. At the end of January, we learned that our circle had been approved to welcome a family of eight – a father, mother, and six children ranging in age from one to fourteen – resettling from Afghanistan.
As circle coordinator, I regularly interface with the family while working closely with a dedicated team of volunteers from Temple Shalom and Kol Ami. We have a centralized system, and communication is broadly shared through updates and ongoing conversations among members of the group.
Since the return to power of the Taliban, the need for resettlement has become dire, especially for those who once helped our armed forces and continue to face danger. Their families, especially women and girls, remain at risk. Imagine what it means to continue your education in a free country where boys and girls are equally free to learn. Our welcome circle hopes to assist and serve those who once helped our military in a faraway place. So many Afghan allies risked their lives to support our soldiers during twenty years of deployment, and now it is our turn to help them.
During the first three months, our circle assisted this family with immediate needs – finding work, securing housing, and helping them navigate the many tasks involved in resettlement. Over the following months, as the family moved toward greater independence and self-sufficiency, we continued our transition support.
Our team has truly worked collaboratively. Kol Ami volunteers took the lead on benefits support and aspects of cultural orientation, and they were instrumental in organizing welcome events for the family. At Temple Shalom, Nancy Devine oversees finance and budgeting; Elba and Jan Stevenson coordinate transportation; Stephanie Kessler handles health, wellness, and nutrition; Cheryl Field leads employment support; and Jerri Grunewald assists with supplies and materials. Several of us also participate in English Language Learning support and orientation assistance. In truth, everyone helps wherever and whenever needed.
I have also been sharing updates about our journey on our GoFundMe page. We have been busy helping our matched family with cultural orientation, employment support, job searching, English language learning, and so many other aspects of adjusting to life in America. We have introduced the parents to community services, assisted with appointments, and provided toys for the younger children.
We are also helping them understand that finding work is work itself – teaching resume building, navigating job applications, and practicing patience during the process. We are pleased to report that members of the family have already secured what HIAS calls a “survival job,” providing some income support while we continue networking and identifying better long-term opportunities.
Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to support the family with groceries, rent assistance, and even a bicycle. Recently, we were also able to provide a small washing machine – similar to one used in a camper or campsite – along with laundry detergent. For a family with young children, this has been an enormous relief.
More than anything, our team has come together meaningfully over these past months, sharing time, resources, and talents to support this family – from transporting sewing machines to helping them learn our public transportation system. Riding buses and trains was entirely new for them. One memorable outing involved getting on the correct bus, but in the wrong direction. It became an important learning moment and a reminder that mistakes can be worked through together with patience and confidence.
What has touched us most deeply is that welcome has truly been mutual.
This family has shown extraordinary hospitality, graciousness, and lovingkindness toward us and toward their new community. These shared values transcend birthplace, language, and background. We are grateful for the opportunity to build relationships rooted in compassion and human connection.
Our welcomed family continues to express appreciation for the warmth and safety they have found here and opportunity to begin building their lives anew. They are “sincerely grateful for the dedicated and compassionate services of the DFW_HIAS Welcome Circle Team.”
To learn more about the Welcome Circle and volunteer opportunities, please email [email protected] with “Welcome Circle” in the subject line. To donate toward resettlement costs or needed items, please click here and follow the instructions on the page, selecting “Welcome Circle” from the dropdown menu.
Your kindness means the world – a new world – to a family. Thank you for your generosity.
