Ilana blogs on our March meeting

Last Sunday’s meeting was the first meeting where we began reviewing the grant requests. There were many requests, including some that were unfamiliar to most of us before the meeting. Miranda felt that it was necessary for our foundation to understand the background of each organization. In order for us to be more knowledgeable about these organizations, we split up to research the organizations and see if they are worth our money, and if they fit our mission statements.

My group researched an organization called H.I.A.S. (short for Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). H.I.A.S. provides service to Jewish immigrants, refugees, and others in need. There are H.I.A.S organizations around the world, including one in the United States. The H.I.A.S. in the United States helps resettle refugees, assists to reunite those that have been separated, and provides scholarships for refugees.

After everyone researched a different organization, each member took turns explaining the organization that he or she researched. Following each presentation, numerous members asked questions to gain a better understanding of the organizations. Many of us have already begun to think about which organization we think deserves our tzedaka. However, there are still a few months for that process and we plan on taking it step by step.