The Jewish Observer
News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community | Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
The Jewish Observer
News


The Jewish Observer

Update on Federation Aid to Haiti

This past summer, on August 14th, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti, killing over 2,200 people. Over 12,000 people were injured, and 130,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. This disaster struck at a time when Haiti was already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, unparalleled economic hardship, and social and political unrest following the assassination of Haiti’s president in July. Haiti’s hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, and people were not able to get the medical care they desperately needed.  
















The Jewish Observer

Welcoming the Stranger

Faith-based organizations are often among the first responders to help refugees fleeing their home during war and political upheaval, and the current crisis in Afghanistan is no exception.  Perhaps it is because of the over 30 references in the Torah, also referred to as the Old Testament in Christian tradition, to “welcoming the stranger.”  We Jews know only too well the pain, fear, and confusion of fleeing our homeland in search of a new more peaceful, secure, and hopeful future for ourselves and our children.  The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) which helped welcome, support and acculturate many of our ancestors, now has a religiously diverse staff and network working to resettle refuges of all faiths from around the globe.


The Jewish Observer

Nashville Jewish Film Festivals Continues in November

The 2021 Nashville Jewish Film Festival began on October 14 and is continuing until November 11, so you still have time to watch entertaining, interesting, and informative films in the comfort of your own home.