JSS has a long history of resettling refugees and immigrants here in Madison. In fact, we trace our roots back to the Madison Welfare Fund, created in 1940 to help resettle Jewish refugees in Madison fleeing the Holocaust. We began our work in resettlement as an independent agency in the 1970s, and our mission and impact has only grown since then.
In 1976, JSS resettled its first Jewish refugee family from the former Soviet Union. JSS was subcontracted by Jewish Family Services of Milwaukee to resettle this family in Madison. From 1990-2005, JSS resettled 350 Jewish individuals from the former Soviet Union, and also became an affiliate of HIAS (formerly Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) during this time. During that same time, JSS resettled at least another 200 secondary migrants. (Refugees moving from the U.S. state where they were initially resettled to another state during their first 8 months in the U.S.)
In early 2000, JSS began helping clients who were looking for pro bono or sliding scale immigration legal services to help with applications for work authorizations, naturalization and citizenship, and family-based applications. In 2005, we became a BIA-recognized agency and obtained its first accredited representative. This recognition allowed JSS to provide competent immigration legal representation for low-income and indigent persons, thereby promoting the effective and efficient administration of justice.
In 2016, JSS once again joined HIAS to revive and expand the scope of our refugeee resettlement program. HIAS was originally founded in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe, and now welcomes all who have fled persecution. Our program has grown substantially since then, and we have resettled over 700 individuals from all over the world, in addition to many secondary migrants and asylees. These people have come from Afghanistan, Burma, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Central African Republic, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Today, JSS is the only resettlement agency in South Central Wisconsin. As a result of our work since 2016, Madison is now home to many growing and thriving refugee communities. We responded to the Syrian refugee crisis in 2016, helping families fleeing the civil war. In 2021, we played a key role in aiding Afghans fleeing the resurgence of the Taliban. Starting in 2022, JSS has begun helping many Ukrainian families, most of whom arrive in the United States under UN humanitarian parolee status. We provide a variety of services and resources to help them become self-sufficient and create a safe and stable life in the Dane County area.
Our walk-in hours are every Thursday from 1-3pm. Please call ahead at (608) 442-4081 to schedule an appointment.