Holocaust Survivors Stand with Haitian Caregivers Facing Deportation
In a powerful display of Jewish solidarity rooted in historical memory, Holocaust survivors at a Florida senior residence have offered to hide their Haitian caregivers from potential deportation, drawing parallels to their own experiences of persecution and flight.
At Sinai Residences in Boca Raton, home to approximately 500 seniors including many Holocaust survivors, residents have asked if they could shelter the facility's Haitian staff in their apartments as 350,000 Haitians face the loss of Temporary Protected Status.
"That reminds me of Anne Frank," said Rachel Blumberg, president and CEO of the center. "There's a kindred bond between our residents being Jewish and seeing the place that the Haitians have gone through."
A Crisis of Compassion and Care
The Trump administration's decision to cancel Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants has created a humanitarian crisis that resonates deeply within Jewish communities. At Sinai Residences, 9% of staff members are Haitians with TPS status, representing a critical workforce in an industry already facing severe labor shortages.
The policy threatens not only the livelihoods of these dedicated caregivers but also the quality of care for America's most vulnerable seniors. With 69% of the center's staff being foreign-born, the facility exemplifies how immigrant workers have become essential to eldercare across the nation.
Jewish Values in Action
The response from Jewish seniors reflects core values that have sustained the Jewish people throughout history. "Our residents can relate to not being wanted, to being kicked out and coming to America for salvage and freedom and safety and shelter," Blumberg explained. "And they want to be able to protect the Haitians."
This sentiment echoes the biblical commandment to "welcome the stranger" and demonstrates how Jewish historical experience informs contemporary moral action. The residents have mounted letter-writing campaigns, with only Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Jewish Democrat, responding to their appeals.
Economic and Social Impact
Beyond moral considerations, the policy creates practical challenges for Jewish institutions nationwide. Ruth Katz, president and CEO of the Association for Jewish Aging Services, noted that senior living executives must now become experts in federal immigration law to navigate these turbulent waters.
"The Jewish community employs these populations to care for the most vulnerable among us," said Reuben Rotman, president and CEO of the Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies. "This creates major challenges and connects to our Jewish identity and ethos of serving our full community with Jewish values."
Immediate Action and Long-term Consequences
Sinai residents aren't waiting for policy changes. Each worker losing status receives $2,000 and personal contributions from residents. Some plan to attend weekend protests against ICE operations, demonstrating active resistance rooted in historical understanding.
The comparison to Anne Frank, while controversial to some, reflects the residents' lived experience of persecution and their recognition of current dangers. "The Haitians cannot go back to Haiti. They'll be murdered," Blumberg stated. "The gangs have taken over the country, and it is life-threatening for them."
As America grapples with immigration policy, this story illuminates how Jewish communities, drawing from their own history of displacement and persecution, continue to champion the values of refuge, dignity, and human solidarity that have defined Jewish survival and success throughout the centuries.