In response to increased ICE presence in our region, JFS recently facilitated two community Active Bystander Trainings, equipping neighbors with practical tools to safely and effectively support immigrant community members.
The sessions—one hosted at a UCC church in Natick and the other at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham—brought together approximately 110 participants from diverse faith communities, united by a shared commitment to protecting immigrant neighbors. Delivered in partnership with the ACLU, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA), and the Religious Action Center, with support from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC), the trainings reflected a powerful multifaith coalition. Together, clergy, lay leaders, and community members across religious traditions were empowered with practical tools to live their values and take meaningful action in support of justice and human dignity for all.
Empowering Bystanders to ACT
JFS’s Active Bystander Training is designed to empower individuals who witness harmful situations to take meaningful, responsible action. The Training Active Bystanders (TAB) model helps participants:
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Recognize when they are bystanders
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Analyze unfolding situations
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Evaluate possible consequences
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Interrupt harm safely
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Generate positive action in others
By heightening a bystander’s awareness and confidence, the training transforms concern into concrete support. Participants leave with tools they can use in real-life situations—grounded in safety, legality, and compassion.
In this moment of heightened fear and uncertainty for many immigrant families, that preparation matters.
Jewish Values in Action
At the Needham session, Rabbi Jay Perlman opened the evening with a powerful reflection rooted in Torah. Citing the verse from Mishpatim—“You shall not afflict or oppress the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt”—he reminded participants that our history commands our responsibility.
Drawing on the commentary of Rashi, the 11th-century sage, Rabbi Perlman noted that the Torah prohibits both physical oppression and psychological harm toward the stranger—calling on us to protect both body and soul.
As Rabbi Perlman shared:
“Just as they – for generations – had known pain and persecution as strangers in a strange land, the generations that would follow would now be called upon to protect the strangers that lived amongst them.”
His words underscore the moral clarity that animates this work. Jewish tradition does not allow indifference. It insists that we remember our own story and transform it into action.
A Commitment to Immigrant Families
For JFS, supporting immigrant neighbors is not new—it is central to who we are. We provide direct services, including culturally familiar food, clothing, household goods, and support for safe housing. We advocate for policies that protect immigrant families. And we stand publicly and proudly against injustice.
The Active Bystander Trainings are a natural extension of this commitment. They ensure that community members are not only compassionate in principle, but prepared in practice.
When over 100 people gather on winter evenings to learn how to stand up safely and effectively for their neighbors, it sends a powerful message: fear will not have the final word. Community will.