Meeting with Citizenship Judge Albert Wong 

Executive Director Elise Herzig spoke with Citizenship Judge Albert Wong, who has sworn in more than 100 000 new Canadians – with enthusiasm, warmth and humour. 

Summer School Support for Yazidi Children 

JIAS staff and volunteers packed and delivered boxes of school supplies to Yazidi children participating in our innovative summer virtual program, which enhanced our ongoing settlement work with the Yazidi community. 

Bike Drive for Refugees 

Volunteers donated bikes, and Barry’s Bikeyard provided bike repairs pro-bono to ensure that our clients received safe and beautiful bikes to enjoy! 

Rosh Hashanah Packages 

JIAS Toronto board members and volunteers delivered Rosh Hashanah packages to recent newcomers. 

JIAS at Limud Toronto 

JIAS staff spoke at Limmud Toronto to discuss the challenges of fulfilling the mitzvah of welcoming the stranger during COVID-19. 

Staff Purim Photo 

JIAS Staff enjoy participating in the UJA Purim photo challenge each year. 

Refugee Shabbat 

JIAS Executive Director Elise Herzig participated in an international panel about how global Jewish communities are working on behalf of displaced people. 

Entrepreneurship workshop with Naama Blonder, Eliav Kling etc. 

Former JIAS clients Naama Blonder Revital Kling and Eliav Kling spoke with newcomers about entrepreneurship and how to make your business idea a success in Canada. 

Yazidi Vaccine Info Session 

Leading Experts Dr. Issac Bogoch and Dr. Chaim Bell spoke with Yazidi clients about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines and to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.

Tyna has worked with a newcomer family from Eritrea for over four years. She is deeply involved with each of the eight family members. She has tutored the children, monitored their educational progress, and advocated for the family in the school system. In addition, she has planned activities for the entire family and even recruited additional volunteers to provide family support.

Debbie has dedicated five years to assisting a Yazidi family. She frequently visits the family, helps the children with homework, communicates with the school to ensure they are aware of the family's circumstances, and assists with medical appointments. Debbie is their best friend, trusted confident and source of advice.

Guido has supported three Yazidi families since they arrived in Canada in 2017. Each family is comprised of a single mother with young children. Between them, there is a total of 10 children. Guido is a role model for the teen boys, mentoring them and encouraging them to pursue their dreams in the safety of their new home in Canada.

Oleg created a Welcome Circle for newcomers from Ukraine. He and the rest of the Welcome Circle helped a mother and her two teenage sons apply for their social insurance numbers and financial assistance. In addition, they provided food, accompanied the family to appointments and assisted in searching for housing.

Oded has volunteered with a wide range of newcomers. He has organized summer programs for kids, assisted clients in developing their social and professional networks and accompanied them to job interviews. In addition, he has tutored children and mentored teens. Oded has a profound understanding of newcomers' challenges, enabling him to provide exceptional support and anticipate client needs. 

Elliot has been volunteering with JIAS since 2000. He was the very first volunteer for the Telephone Language Companion program, and then he continued volunteering when this program was replaced with the English Conversation Circles. He has helped countless clients improve their language skills. He has had so many great connections with our clients, and for many of them, he became more like a Family-to-Family volunteer. He continues to be in touch with many of the clients today.