Sanctuary Benefit, An Inspiring Event

On Sunday, February 24, The Bergen County Sanctuary for Asylum Seekers, held a major benefit dinner to support its cause. The Sanctuary project, perhaps the only one of its type in the New York metropolitan area, is dedicated to providing a comprehensive roster of services, inclusive of housing, medical care and education, to people fleeing political persecution in other countries and who come to the US seeking a safe haven. They are treated badly, including for those who flee without proper documentation, imprisonment for sometimes up to four yours. In short, our country now criminalizes those coming here seeking safety.

The dinner featured the blue grass group, Triple Play, and the key note speaker, Dr. Allen Keller. Dr. Keller is the founder and director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, one the truly great human rights projects in New York City. Dr. Keller was inspiring, and laudatory about the work of the Bergen County Sanctuary.

The Bergen County Sanctuary Committee is comprised of six area congregations, and other organizations. It is now a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization. It was founded out of the Ethical Culture Society in Teaneck about two years ago.