ABOUT
Our Story
Origins
In winter 2021–2022, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County invited congregations of all faiths in the Ann Arbor area to participate in their new refugee settlement co-sponsorship program.
In response, Beth Israel Congregation and Temple Beth Emeth, assisted by the deft leadership of our founding coordinator Harvey Somers, formed a collaboration which soon expanded to Jewish Congregations Organized for Resettlement (JCOR), comprised of six member organizations: Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan, Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, Jewish Cultural Society, and Pardes Hannah along with BIC and TBE. The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor serves as JCOR’s fiduciary.
JCOR works in partnership with JFS, which provides orientation and training and guidance to JCOR volunteers who work under the supervision of a JFS caseworker.
In August 2022, JCOR accepted responsibility to co-sponsor its first family of four from Colombia.
JCOR’s first refugee family arrived in Ann Arbor following an arduous journey from their home in Colombia in August 2022. In less than 12 months, both parents were fully employed, both teenagers had completed their first year of school in the U.S. in good form, and big sister had a summer job. The father earned a driver’s license, and the family purchased a (used) car which saves $700/month that previously paid for contracted transportation to and from work.
autumn 2024
JCOR continues to work with its current refugee family through January 2025, their twelfth month in the U.S. JCOR volunteers and congregations, donors and other allies have all contributed to the family’s substantial progress toward independence, both financial and otherwise.
The family of five is thriving. All three boys are succeeding in school and in their off -time, they enjoy friendships made over recent months and cruise around on their bikes in this uncommonly warm autumn.
Work is going well for Mom and Dad: about 21 hours and 60 hours each week, respectively. Mom passed her driving test in October, which means she can run necessary errands while Dad’s at work, using the 20-year-old Toyota that was donated free-and-clear by a generous JCOR ally. Previously proprietors of their own small businesses, the parents also are taking the earliest steps toward their longer-term goals, an entrepreneurial endeavor for him and employment licensing for her.
As JCOR continues working with this family, we are ramping up to co-sponsor a new family, hopefully as soon as December. With this in mind, we are recruiting volunteers with marketing and fundraising skills or interest in working on our Employment and Transportation teams. Please click here to join our exciting and gratifying endeavor in Tikkun Olam.
