Immigration Today: Would I Be Living In New Jersey?

My grandmother came from Ostropolia, Ukraine.

She arrived in the United States as a teenager some time around 1920. She was the oldest child in her family, with two brothers and two sisters. She worked and saved her money. When she had enough for a boat ticket, she would send it home in order for one of her siblings to join her.

When I was in college, I went to the funeral of my great Uncle Isadore in Philadelphia where the Gorberg siblings originally settled. That day I learned that there was an Ostropolia Society and that my grandmother had been one of the founders. My grandmother and others helped many people from Ostropolia start a new life in America.

Today, I am not really sure whether my grandmother – and all of the members of the Ostropolia Society – would be allowed into this country.

I know that Immigration Reform is a bit of a reach for what is supposed to be a “Synagogue Money Blog”.  But this is a very important issue. And I wanted to share with you something that I know you will find interesting.

Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice is a part of a coalition of organizations fighting for immigration reform. As you may know from prior blogs, I am its Director of Development.

We created a website where you can check if your grandparents or great grandparents would have been able to come to America under the present immigration laws. Check out EntryDenied.

And last Thursday, there was an article posted on MSNBC about our campaign for fair and just immigration reform.

I hope you will share this with those at your synagogue involved in Social Justice as well as with friends and acquaintances in the general community.

Many thanks.