Jewish and Palestinian Employers Step Up to Help Workers

​Religious nonprofits and U.S. employers with ties to Israel and Gaza are extending resources and benefits to employees who are impacted by the Israel-Hamas war that began on Oct. 7.

Hillel

Hillel International, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that supports Jewish communities on college campuses, convened a crisis team composed of senior leadership, HR, marketing and communications, antisemitism program leaders, and wellness experts.

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Hillel encouraged its 1,200 employees to participate in employee resource groups and use its employee assistance program, which incorporates grief counseling.

"We also introduced new resources, such as access to specific Israeli mental health and assistance resources for our colleagues in Israel, as well as shared broader, communal resources like the Network for Jewish Human Services that is providing drop-in calls for Jewish professionals," said Shari Merrill, Hillel's chief operating officer.

Employees can use the organization's flexible time-off policy, "though we are finding that many of our staff are choosing to work and find comfort in supporting our mission during this time," Merrill said.

The organization provided virtual and in-person discussions for all employees and financial resources to remove barriers to getting together.

"Our wellness team encouraged regular check-ins with all members to support their emotional well-being and to remind our teams of the resources available to them," Merrill said. "We offered modified work arrangements to accommodate individual needs and help mitigate stressors where possible."

Hillel's employees "are grappling with grief and trauma, and many find it challenging to concentrate, make decisions or process complex information at this time. They are holding their own grief, the grief of their teams, and also the grief and emotional response of the students on campus," Merrill said.

Jewish Federations of North America

The Jewish Federations of North America, a New York City-based nonprofit representing about 400 Jewish communities, convened an employee resource group for Israeli workers and another group for workers from any background. The organization has 151 employees, including 21 based in Israel.

"We understand for them this is a particularly hard time," said Liz Fisher, chief talent officer for the organization. Participants in the groups "felt really seen. It meant a lot to them. [They are] very concerned about their own family and loved ones in Israel."

She said many employees know someone who has been killed or held hostage in the conflict. "For our employees, this feels deeply personal to them," she said. "People are concerned about the safety of the places they work in."

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To address that concern, the nonprofit helps Jewish synagogues, schools, community centers and summer camps develop security plans through an initiative called LiveSecure. The nonprofit provides funding, training and resources to protect those places where many Jewish people work. The funding helps to pay for security technology, equipment and professional security consultations.

Anera

Anera, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides emergency relief in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan, is offering employees emergency time-off benefits, in-person and virtual therapy sessions, an emergency fund, an employee advisory group, faith-based support, therapy dog visits at its U.S. office, and mindfulness training for resilience and stress mitigation. Anera has about 100 employees.

It is continuing to pay salaries to staff in the Middle East who are displaced and cannot work. The emergency fund can help employees pay for medical care, medical supplies, food, home rebuilding, temporary shelter, household goods and clothing.

"We have designed an inclusive psychosocial support system that embraces and respects Middle East and U.S. cultures while also recognizing that employees process stress and trauma differently," said Steve Fake, a spokesperson for Anera. "Each employee will be provided with techniques and tools they can use to support colleagues impacted by this current crisis."

Preventing Discrimination

In general, Palestinian employees with U.S. employers have not received the support, resources or psychological safety they need, said Ed Hasan, a Palestinian American and CEO of Kaizen Human Capital in Washington, D.C. "I have received complaints to that effect. I have received countless phone calls from Palestinian colleagues describing the marginalization and bias they face from their bosses and colleagues. Several have shared their fear of speaking up because they will face more alienation or lose their jobs."

HR should make sure Palestinian workers' voices are heard, and employers should make clear that they won't allow their Palestinian employees to be vilified, he said. "Let them know their feelings, experiences and opinions matter. Let's give them the empathy, resources and psychological safety they deserve."

Hate incidents in schools and workplaces are on the rise, said Abed Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Washington, D.C. "The rhetoric being used by many elected officials and media outlets continues to dehumanize Arabs, Palestinians and Muslims. This is creating an environment for hate crimes to occur. The rhetoric needs to change immediately."

Religious discrimination involves treating applicants or employees unfavorably because of their religious beliefs. Religious discrimination also can involve treating someone differently because that person is married to or associated with an individual of a particular religion. The federal anti-discrimination law protects workers who belong to organized religions, such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism, but also those who hold ethical or moral beliefs without a religious affiliation, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

"We call on members of the legal community, including legal employers, law schools and other legal institutions, to recognize the humanity of both Palestinians and Israelis when commenting on the crisis," said Mary Smith, president of the American Bar Association in Chicago, "and to ensure that employees, students and others can respectfully express their diverse views without fear of unjust punishment or censure."