Immigrants’ plight recalls ’when we were strangers in Egypt’

By Jewish Review

Immigration has emerged as a hot issue this election cycle, raising important questions about public policy and human rights, including how social justice for immigrants affects Oregon and the Jewish community.

To address some of these topics, the Social Action Council of Congregation Beth Israel has organized a special pre-Passover program on Tuesday, April 15 at 7 p.m. entitled “Let My People Stay?” Led by Senior Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana and featuring members of the labor and judicial community, this intense panel discussion will include such topics as protection services for illegal immigrants, the impact of immigrants on the health care system and immigration labor laws.

“What are the economic and social forces that lead immigrants to come to the United States?” asks Dr. David Douglas, a local physician and coordinator of the event for Beth Israel. “How does immigrant legal status affect the potential for exploitation or human rights violations? And how are religious organizations responding to this issue?”

Beth Israel’s program on April 15 will attempt to answer some of these questions through the expertise of a diverse panel of speakers.

Included on the panel are Cris Serrano a Permanent Resident Alien and Certified Nursing Assistant at Robison Jewish Health Center; Sergio Hayakawa Leon from the Consulate of Mexico Protection Services; Keith Cunningham-Parmeter, Willamette Law School Professor and lead attorney representing migrant women in a class action lawsuit against a local produce company; and Sarah Loose, a local representative from the New Sanctuary Movement, an ecumenical organization begun more than 25 years ago to address the issues of human rights violations towards immigrants, most often in the forms of workplace discrimination and unjust deportation. There will be a question and answer session.

This free event will be held at 7 p.m. in the Pollin Chapel, Schnitzer Family Center (1972 NW Flanders St.) on April 15 and is open to the community.