Multifaith Alliance Statement On The Pope's Visit To Jordan
New York, NY, May 26, 2014 … The Multi-Faith Alliance for Syrian Refugees in Jordan hailed Pope Francis for highlighting the dire plight of Syrian refugees in Jordan during his historic trip to the Holy Land.
In a statement, Multi-Faith Alliance founder and president Dr. Georgette Bennett said:
“We applaud Pope Francis for bringing crucial attention and support to the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st Century – the plight of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees suffering from the violent war raging in their homeland.
“We sincerely hope the Pope’s actions will refocus the world’s attention on this humanitarian disaster. The Multi-Faith Alliance stands ready to work with the Pope and all faith communities to help raise awareness and funding on behalf of the suffering Syrian refugees in Jordan.”
In Amman, Pope Francis said Jordan's "generous welcome" to Syrian refugees warranted international appreciation and support. Francis also met with Syrian refugees and disabled children.
The Syrian crisis has been placing monumental strain on the Kingdom of Jordan. UN officials estimate there are more than 600,000 registered Syrian refugees in Jordanian camps, amounting to about 10 percent of Jordan’s population. Jordanian officials estimate the real number is closer to 1.3 million. Last month, the government opened a third Syrian refugee camp.
Dr. Bennett, president and founder of Tanenbaum, launched the Multi-Faith Alliance last summer to raise money and awareness of the Syrian crisis. Alliance members include religious leaders and institutions such as Catholic Relief Services, the NY Buddhist Church. the Islamic Center of New York, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Episcopal Relief and Development and U.S. Fund for Unicef.
The Multi-Faith Alliance works in partnership with the American Joint Distribution Committee and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. The Jewish Coalition for Syrian Refugees in Jordan, out of which the Multi-Faith Alliance developed, has raised more than $500,000 for disaster relief for Syrian refugees in Jordan.
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Contact: Rabbi Eric J. Greenberg,
Director Communications & Outreach
Mobile (917) 447 2007
ericjaygreenberg@gmail.com
http://www.multifaithalliance.org
