The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee is coordinating community wide efforts to support newly arriving families of allies from Afghanistan. To date, approximately 100 volunteers are involved in trainings and planning for the new arrivals and each volunteer will be matched with a family the week of January 17th.  The first training for Jewish community volunteers was conducted by Hangama Wahidi, from the Nashville Afghan Association (NAA). She is educating the volunteers about the new neighbors and the obstacles they are facing in their early days in Nashville. Two additional trainings are scheduled with the next one in early January, to be conducted by Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE).  

 Food is a key part of many cultures, and Afghanistan is no exception. The NAA is planning to provide each family with an authentic Afghan meal on their first night in Nashville. Jewish community volunteers on December 19th participated in a cooking class to learn about Afghan cooking and will prepare food for several families. A volunteer “SOS” team was also created to address any immediate needs. And finally, volunteers are creating fun, kid-friendly activities to keep youngsters busy while their parents are being oriented and becoming more comfortable with their new lives. If you are interested in volunteering to be part of this unique opportunity, contact Michal Becker, michal@jewishnashville.org