After months of preparation, our incredible team of volunteers was ready to greet Hosai as she completed her journey from war-torn Afghanistan to Los Angeles.
Nearly 10 months ago, after waiting for three days on the tarmac of Kabul Airport as crowds clamored to get aboard the few airplanes leaving the country and suicide bombers detonated their murderous devices, Hosai found herself in Albania. She left her family, her husband of a few weeks, and an almost-completed master’s degree in horticulture. She endured eight months in Albania, filling the time in pursuit of a second master’s through Michigan State University. When the news came that she could travel to the U.S., she broke off those studies and spent an additional month at a transit center in Virginia. Finally, on April 18, her plane touched down at LAX.
Susan and Meyer Berk, along with Susan Rosenson, greeted her at the airport, while our team leads—Elina Wineburgh and Karen Medak—prepared the temporary Airbnb that Hosai would call home for her first 30 days. Elina was the driving force behind our energy. She assured us with her own immigration story that immigrants to this country are committed to their new lives and are extraordinarily likely to succeed. Karen, as a seasoned refugee worker, brought her knowledge and expertise to our effort and quickly guided our steps as well.
Stephen Wise Temple-sponsored Afghan refugee Hosai received help from the Stephen Wise Temple community to get her identification documents in order at the DMV.
Along with Terri and Charles Stern, Sam Elias, Ingrid Milkes, Murray Levin, and many donors, we’ve all been preparing for her arrival with eager anticipation and just a small amount of nervousness. As an official Sponsor Circles congregation, and in concert with HIAS, our team completed the paperwork, identified the appropriate agencies that would facilitate our efforts, and learned the legal ins and outs of securing residency and citizenship for this newest American. Each person assumed a role. Some searched for halal markets and restaurants, others facilitated the finances, and still others became “Jew-ber” drivers, taking her to appointments, guiding her as she applied for her California ID and social security number, and assisting with other steps required of new immigrants. Charles Stern is leading the work to engage pro-bono lawyers to facilitate Hosai’s residency and her path to citizenship. We were so efficient that our HIAS contact complimented us on our record time in securing all of her vital documents.
In Hosai, we discovered an incredibly resilient, warm, bubbly, and gracious young woman. Quick with a smile, eager to make friends, fluent in English, and technologically savvy, this determined young woman quickly won our hearts. Despite the obvious pain of leaving her loved ones, Hosay’s enthusiasm, appreciation, and energy are infectious. She’s already established a network of friends through her travels and remains in touch with people in the L.A. area and around the country.
As we searched for a more long-term solution, another longtime temple member— Andrea Sher—expressed a willingness to host Hosai as a housemate. Andrea lost her wonderful husband a few short years ago and has continued to fill her life with her children, grandchildren, and a very active lifestyle. Despite that, as a South African immigrant herself, Andrea felt that she had to pay it forward. Upon meeting each other, the two became fast friends, and Andrea even introduced Hosai to Zoomba, where they danced their way through a vigorous workout!
Hosai discovered that she could complete her master’s remotely through Michigan State and is already set for classes. She’s calibrating her schedule so that she can secure work once her status is complete. Dave Clark has extensive experience in the world of higher education and is helping her navigate the system so she can secure her master’s degree.
All in all, I’m quite proud of our Wise team. Each person has stepped up in remarkable ways to truly live the values that we affirm in our Jewish lives. With Hosai, we are acting on the obligation (the mitzvah) to welcome the stranger. We took a risk by opening our hearts and our community to her, and the result has been nothing short of amazing. This is among the many ways that we can act as Jews to express our commitment to tikkun olam. We have discovered that, through our actions, we have not only changed another’s life, but we have also changed our own. May we continue to go from strength to strength!