Aleefa Ikhtiyar arrived in Canada eight years ago with her husband and five children.
Her journey began in Syria, where civil war raged and ISIS extremists made daily life dangerous. She remembers seeing corpses in the streets—so many, just lying there. One day, she took her children to visit their grandmother. During that visit, the children heard the screams of a person who was attacked by ISIS. Aleefa knew she had to get her family out.
They fled on foot with a group of people, walking for three hours until they found the bus to the Iraqi border. They remember the danger of trip mines and how careful everyone had to be, especially with the children.
In Iraq, they found safety but not stability. Aleefa’s husband was the only one working. They shared a house with his parents and brother to pool their resources. Still, they struggled to cover bills. They moved more than eight times due to financial problems. Financial constraints also kept the children out of school for over two years.
After three and a half years, an uncle in Canada was able to sponsor their extended family with the help of JIAS. In total, 12 people came to Canada with Aleefa, including her husband’s parents and his brother’s family. It was their first time on a plane. They boarded with tears of joy for what was ahead and sadness for the relatives they left behind.
An apartment was secured for them in Canada. When they arrived, her son, Mohammed, then eight years old, ran straight to the bathroom and gleefully yelled that he would take a shower first. It was their first indoor running water, let alone hot water!
Now, eight years later, most of the family are Canadian citizens. Aleefa’s husband worked in a restaurant for his first few years and now drives for Uber. Aleefa is taking English classes at home and trying to improve her opportunities. The children are proud and confident English speakers in school, with many friends.
There are many heroes behind Aleefa’s family’s journey to safety. On Rosh Hashanah of 2015, as civil war continued in Syria, the Danforth Jewish Circle (DJC) announced its decision to help sponsor a Syrian family. By Yom Kippur — just 10 days later — they raised over $50,000. DJC then partnered with JIAS Toronto to sponsor Aleefa’s family, who arrived via Iraq in March of 2017.
Aleefa remains in touch with the many people who helped her uncle make their arrival possible. Two years ago, they had a barbecue together on Toronto Island. Canada is still a novelty of sorts. She marvels at the Canadian seasons—the greenery of summer, the colours of fall, the bright snow of winter, and the promise of spring buds.
