Temple Talk

Several times a year, Lexine Alpert, one of our partners at First Presbyterian Church, spends 6-8 weeks in Greece helping refugees who have fled unspeakable horrors. Recently a volunteer organization assigned her to help Gada, a refugee single mom from the Sudan.

Gada is a 26-yearold single mom from Khartoum, Sudan whose husband was killed in the war taking place in her country (the horrific war continues to this day with over 12 million people forced from their homes and a huge humanitarian crisis facing 25 million inhabitants).

Gada arrived in Greece (via Egypt and Turkey and over the Mediterranean Sea) in February 2024 with her two young daughters (now ages 6 and 8). She was pregnant from being raped while still in Sudan. After several months in Greece, she was granted full asylum status as a Beneficiary of International Protection. She gave birth to her infant son in August 2024. With her two daughters and infant son, she has found it impossible to try to establish herself and gain any employment. Fortunately, Lexine was able to get another NGO to pay for her housing (a basement studio apartment) but Gada still depends on help to pay for food, diapers, her phone and all basic necessities for living. Lexine has been helping when she can, but Gada desperately needs help from others until she can secure permanent assistance. Her plan is to be sponsored in Germany and she is awaiting all the documents which will take probably another six months. Any help with her and her children would be greatly needed and appreciated.

This month as we celebrate our own exodus from Egypt and say Dayenu for manna that sustained us in the desert, think about refugees like Gada. The Social Action Fund is collecting donations to support Lexine’s work to help Gada sustain her family while she waits for permanent assistance. You can make a donation to the temple and Indicate in the memo line or an accompanying note that the donation is to the Social Action Fund to support Lexine Alpert’s work with refugees.

Lexine’s first meeting with Gada who was 7 months pregnant.

Gada and family in Greece.