JES of Metrowest Fansosa7saa73 seems x ject and related immigrant work: Jewish Family Service of Metrowest(JFS) ie committing to resettlement of up to 50 ‘Syrian refugees for FY 17, Ehely meats 12-16 total faniew ‘There are 8 national resettlement organizations. HIAS is one ofthe 8. JFS isa refugee {esettloment affiliate of HIAS and its refugee clients are referred via HIAS. ‘The Syrian refugees will be coming with no US family tes, which wll make the work more complicated as there are no family members to rely upon. Until his inate, JFS resettement work has been withthe continuing small number of Jewish refugees with US famly tes leaving the Former Soviet Union and wit refugees trom Ian, aq {and 2 couple of African countries, This resetlement work continues in 2016-2017. Inthe just completed 2015-2016 federal fiscal year, around 1800 teal refugees resettled across Massachusetts, largest numbers i Worcester, Lowel, Lynn, Springfield Of that 1800 approximate toa, only 70 were Syrian refugees, and of those, only 6.6 were re- settled in eastem Massachusets, Relatediy, JFS works with MA Office of Refugee and Immigrants with asylees from Aifferent pars ofthe globe. “FS runs the only citizenship assistance program between Worcester and Boston. “URS also has a very deep academic, social mentoring and family assistance initiative with tow income Brazilian immigrant chiidren and thelr families in Framingham. Likely Composition and characteristics ofthe Syrian refugees that will be ‘assigned to Jewish Family Service of Metrowest vis HIAS: Education: Majonty willbe working class, low middle class, sorekespers, professionals, cotinine trades Fluent and trate in Arabic, very few willbe Englsh-speakers Musim (predominantly Sunri) Current location: Jordan (Zaatar Refugee camp) and Lebsnon ‘Age: Mest tkely young fames wil be assigned to JFS—parens in 20's and 30's with ‘hikren (probably between ages 4-10), some single parent ed First arrivals for JFS woul likely be late inthe year—December Frequency: Wil come in 1-2 famiies at atime {JES and Synagogue partnerships: 41. Synagogues with JFS are assuming signfcant responsibilty for the housing and ‘volunteerism connected to one to two families each 2. Housing, English language instruction, employment and transportation vil be major resettlement and community integration issues lec by JF ‘This wl alo include needs for clthing, apartment outfiting, phones, etc. ‘The family's community integration and self-sufficiency are the goals 3. There are very speci plans emerging for subsiclzing cost of housing through ‘synagogues, JFS resources and the generesty of community members evs Fanly Servic of Metres provides stl socal, health a community series toate sufering, enhance bs an suppor people ned.4 First jobs, language acquisition and cultural connections are atthe forefront of professional planning a JFS ‘5. Asmall numberof Vounteers per family for aiding day to day navigation of dally living tasks and unctons, and serving in a mare personal way a8 almost “quasi fay tes" wi be ened “These special one to one volunteers wil require interviewing, soreeing, traning ‘and ongoing guidance fom the JFS team 2, There ae very specfic attributes and commitments required of these spectal volunteers that JFS staf wil review with your core team 3. There willbe other volunteers doing such things as cvng, resource evelopment, community events 6, Refugee family members wil need language classes and 1:1 basic English Instruction ‘A. Arabic speakers wil be part of the professional team People with roots io region, region and culture wil be part ofboth the professional and volunteer teams 7. Forthe children: integration into schools as non English speakers certainly a key with supplemental tutoring lily required ‘8, There lea resettioment roadmap tobe followed the mandated services required ‘uring what is known as Reception and Placement (RAP) 8. Mental Heatvtraumar JFS has a very important pariner in that work as part of the ‘overall tam—Wiliam James College in Newton. 10, Medica-dental—Familes wil be elgile for Mass Health—but we know there willbe ‘specialized noeds thal cannot be met by he Mass Health eighty ‘The project as a whole: ‘As mentioned, various synagogues along with JFS wil be taking responsibilty for ‘unds to subsidize housing costs or securing donated housing sel wth 1-2 fami “There wil be a range of drect volunteerism and resource development tat involves multiple partners across culture, religion, community and academic initulons Dr. Risd Cachecho, Chair of Surgery at Metrowest Mecical Center s deeply connected tothe project. He brings tis to the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS). ‘Yaser Najer, Ph.D., Dean of Graduate Studies at Framingham State University is closely Involved, and has many tes inthe Musim community. JVS refugee employment services and “The Boston Language Insitute wil be partners. There will be addtional Churches, Synagogues, Islamic Centers, academic, emplcyment and medical institutions and indviduals rvolved wit esource development, employment healthcare, welcoming and communty irkapes. Government resources are limited; ours i a pilantropic and humanitarian based medel that ‘wl allow for more customized and ntensive services forthe cohort of families Synagogues from Framingham, Katick, Wellesay, Newton, Boston are already (or wil soon be) the inal partners. And housing wil be located from Framingham to Boston, which, though Cteating more significant inal costs, also enables more access to social and economic. esource ascels that can accelerate family success, For more information Mare Jacobs Lucia Panicheta IFS Chief Executive Offcer LFS Director Youth and immigrant Services