Students Showcase Jewish Values in Action at L’Taken

As we prepare for Passover this year, we are called to pursue justice and freedom for all. This is especially relevant given the increase in ICE operations throughout the country and the impact of these operations on the “strangers among us:” the immigrants and refugees in our own communities. Four teens from Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, CA attended L’Taken and urged their representatives to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to defend immigrants and refugees throughout the United States.  

The following piece is adapted from the speech Sasha Lujan Weisberg (she/her), Jacob Mariampolski (he/him), Zahava Zakem (she/her), and Eli Perlman (he/him) delivered to their congressional representatives. 

It is no secret that ICE has been prominent in all our communities, but now they are prominent in spaces that should be places of refuge. The sensitive locations policy adopted by the Department of Homeland Security was rescinded by the Trump administration in January 2025. As a direct result, ICE is now completely free to enter locations such as hospitals, schools, and houses of worship. Instead of accepting a fate that violates the religious freedom of the first amendment, religious dominations joined together. The Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and more than two dozen faith denominations created a major lawsuit that actively challenged the rescission of this policy. A positive outcome, however, will only benefit the plaintiffs. With that in mind, we urge Congress to fight for broader legislation that will create a larger positive impact for our immigrant communities, including passing the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act presented by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Adriano Espaillat. This would reinstate the sensitive locations policy and expand the number of locations protected from ICE. Educational and medical facilities, federal and state courthouses, DMVs and social security offices, social service facilities, and more would be protected. The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act would also mandate proper training for carrying out deportations for ICE and CBP, as well as have these agencies report enforcement actions to Congress. As American people, we have to focus on treating everyone, including [people who are not American citizens], with respect. The amount of aggressive enforcement that has entered our country has left a chilling effect that is dehumanizing. [People who are not American citizens] now more than ever fear interacting with immigration enforcement officers and are avoiding places that are crucial for their way of life. 

We come on behalf of L’Taken, a program run by the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism. We find that incorporating Reform Jewish values into political and moral decisions can be impactful for the Jewish and immigrant communities. In the Torah, the holy book for Jews, God explicitly teaches us about the treatment of strangers. In Genesis, the first Jews, Abraham and Sarah, benevolently welcomed three foreigners into their tent and made sure they were well fed. Afterwards, in Leviticus, God commands the Jewish people to accept strangers as citizens in their villages, treating them as they would treat other Jews. God evokes the empathy of Moses, who could relate to the feeling of being out of place in Egypt. 

Our communities, synagogues, schools, and other sensitive spaces should serve as havens for immigrants where they do not have to worry about persecution. The Jewish population as a whole has been widely persecuted throughout our history, such as during our enslavement in Egypt, the Spanish Inquisition, and the concentration camps of World War II. This inspires us to create a space of protection and belonging as Abraham and Sarah did for the strangers they welcomed into their home.

When it comes to immigration, I have personal ties that connect me to a different concept of what it means to be an American. Both of my parents are immigrants from Argentina and originally came to the United States on student visas to further their education. They later received green cards, my dad won the green card lottery, and both of them became naturalized citizens. Being the daughter of immigrants, I feel that I have a deeper connection and different perspective about the perception of immigrants and the use of ICE in our communities. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the risk my parents took when coming to the U.S. It is extremely difficult for me to see deportations and ICE in my community, especially in places that should be safe for everyone. I believe it is ironic that sensitive locations, like schools and the areas around them, are being targeted when many immigrants, like my parents, came to the United States to further their education and live better lives. 

At my school, I am part of an affinity space for Latinos called Latinos Unidos or LU. It is a safe space for my peers and I to share our thoughts about different issues, like immigration, that come up in the Latino community. As a group, we have a text thread to share meeting activities and talk to each other. Recently, however, it has been text after text about where ICE is, and especially which schools they are close to. It is disheartening for me to see my friends so worried and distraught about the situation with ICE and that there are currently no safe spaces. Students should be worried about their homework and tests, not about getting detained at school. For me, despite the fact that my parents are here completely legally and are U.S. citizens, detainment and deportation are thoughts that have recently crossed my mind. I wonder if those very things could happen to my parents and my family.

This Passover, as you reflect on the themes of freedom and liberation, download the seder supplement “I am a Descendant of Those Who Wander: Reflecting on Our Stories of Migration” to affirm your support for immigrants and refugees.