HIAS+JCORE

HIAS+JCORE is the first charity we've chosen recommended by a Tithe member. The member is a part of the charity's befriending programme and mentioned how valuable the work is and how they are trying to support more and more refugees.

Before diving into it, let's do a quick history lesson to explain the name:

JCORE (the Jewish Council for Racial Equality) has been around for 50 years fighting for a world free of racism and hate. In more recent years, this work increasingly has focused on supporting refugees.

Founded in the late 19th Century, HIAS is the world’s oldest refugee agency, which today is a multi-continent, multi-pronged humanitarian aid and advocacy organisation with thousands of employees.

In 2023, HIAS+JCORE – a new partnership, bringing this work together in the UK – was launched. HIAS+JCORE remains an independent, UK registered charity, but one aligned with and benefiting from HIAS’ vast expertise and support.

Now in terms of what this partnership does, there are three pillars:

1. Advocating – they lobby politicians and policy makers, sharing our Jewish-values-led vision for a fairer, more welcoming asylum system.

2. Mobilising – we work across the Jewish community, driving engagement with our core issues. We educate, facilitate volunteering opportunities, and encourage activism.

3. Supporting – we work directly with refugees and asylum seekers, overcoming challenges and empowering them to thrive.

The third pillar is what we'll be focusing on the most. Now in it's 16th year, the JUMP programme matches up young asylum seekers and refugees with trained volunteers who act as friends and help them build skills needed to settle in the UK. Over 250 refugees and asylum seekers have been through this programme and our funding will be valuable in helping them grow this number over the coming years. 2023 was their biggest year yet and I hope that we can help contribute to this number going into 2025. 

The charity does a lot more work, which you can read about here, but I'll leave it there for now. I hope you enjoy learning more about this wonderful organisation.