Op-Ed: Jews, once strangers, must act to help immigrants

This opinion piece tells why some groups who were once immigrants must help recent immigrants, even in other ethnic groups. They must remember their own experience - - Donna Poisl

By Lauren Bastien ·

ST. PAUL (JTA) -- Remembering is fundamentally important to Jews, from the pre-biblical days to the present. We remember at Purim; we remember at Yom Kippur; we remember on Yom Hashoah. And on Passover, we are commanded to remember when we were strangers in Egypt, our Exodus and subsequent freedom.

As Jews, being the stranger, "ger," is central to our identity. We were told recently in Mishpatim: "And you shall not mistreat a stranger, nor shall you oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Thirty-five more times in the Torah we are reminded to welcome the stranger.

Whether we are newcomers or our families have been here for generations, we must act with the memory of the stranger when we think about how we relate to immigrants today.
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