Jewish Federation of Cleveland Condemns Immigration Ban

BEACHWOOD, OH - The Jewish Federation of Cleveland is taking an official stance on President Donald Trump's immigration ban. The organization released a statement opposing the ban on Tuesday night.

The statement was signed by a trio of Federation leaders. Bradley Schlang, community relations committee chair, Gary Gross, board chair, and Stephen Hoffman, president, all signed their names. The statement, in full, is below.

The Torah teaches, “You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” As Jews, we know all too well the consequences of nations turning away those fleeing persecution. We can never forget the fate of the countless number of Jews whose lives could have been saved during the Holocaust had the United States accepted them as refugees. As Jews and Americans, we must continue to uphold our shared value of welcoming the stranger regardless of religion, race, or nationality.

Therefore, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland opposes the recent Executive Order that has closed our nation’s doors to refugees, even if only temporarily. Any government action that closes our doors to refugees and the oppressed contradicts our Jewish values and the values of our nation of compassion, equality, and justice. Religious tests have no place in our government's policies. As our nation secures its borders with thorough vetting and seeks to combat extremism, we must never lose sight of the fundamental values that define our country and our people.

The Federation joins Robert Nosanchuk, the senior rabbi at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, and 1,500 other rabbis nationwide, in decrying the immigration ban. Nosanchuk signed a letter from rabbis nationwide condemning the ban on refugees and asking the president to allow refugees into the nation.

Photo from Jewish Federation of Cleveland