Hope for the future in dark times

As we approach the end of 2025, its hard to avoid the feeling that we are in dark times. At the end of a year of global conflict, reduced humanitarian aid and shrinking solutions for the growing number of people forced to flee their homes, the Bondi attacks came as a devastating blow. Not only did these attacks cost 15 innocent lives and cause immeasurable grief and harm to the Jewish community, they were also an affront to everything that our organisation stands for. However, they also highlight that our work is more vital than ever.

Those of us involved in the community sponsorship movement often feel that we exist in two parallel and contrasting worlds. On the one hand, there is what we see and hear in the news and political discourse – conflict, violence, division, despair; and then there is what we witness in communities around the country – people from every walk of life choosing kindness, choosing to embrace the stranger, choosing to share power and privilege, choosing to focus on all that we have in common rather than the things that divide us. 

24 hours after the Bondi attack, our team met online with a group of Darwin locals who have stepped up in a matter of days to welcome and assist three refugee families who they have never met but who are about to arrive to work in the Northern Territory healthcare sector.  A couple of months before that, I spent a wonderful rainy afternoon in a community centre in Melbourne where a group of people from all different faiths and backgrounds shared food, played badminton, suffered crushing defeats in musical chairs and showing off some serious vocal skills during an impromptu karaoke session. Similar scenes have played out in halls, parks and homes across the country as the result of the connections fostered by our work. These moments represent Australia at its best – connected, diverse, joyful and optimistic – and we need more of the same. 

Last week, in an earlier draft of this update, I had planned to note the achievement of permanence for the CRISP program as one of the key highlights of the year and to reshare The Guardian article that accompanied that announcement in February, which featured Guy (a Jewish Australian) and Juan (a newcomer to Australia). After the attacks I questioned this plan – is the grief so immense that it leaves no space for other themes for those impacted? Perhaps so. But after further reflection and consultation, it feels important for an organisation like ours to highlight the immense contribution that Jewish Australians have made to refugee causes and, in particular, the community sponsorship movement. Jewish Australians are heavily represented, alongside other Australians from all walks of life, as members of community supporter groups who have made the CRISP program such a success – stepping up to welcome refugee newcomers from a wide range of backgrounds. Jewish philanthropists have made significant financial contributions to CRSA’s work since our inception. Stand Up, one of our supporting community organisations, is heavily invested in promoting community sponsorship to its members and networks. So please take a moment to read the story of Guy and Juan and applaud the contributions that the Jewish community have made in speaking up and standing up for refugees for many many decades.  

Our team continues to be inspired by the kindness and humanity of (extra)ordinary Australians from all walks of life – as well as the words of Margaret Mead:

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” 

This year we celebrated that more than one million refugees have found safety through sponsorship pathways around the world since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2015 – the collective impact of small groups of thoughtful citizens in this endeavour is immense and has the potential to grow much further.  This remarkable achievement is something for every single sponsor group member, every institution who has promoted community sponsorship, every person who has attended a fundraiser, or donated a bicycle or a booster seat can be proud of.  

As you hopefully enjoy some downtime over the summer months, I ask you to reflect on the beautiful version of Australia that we are creating together and also the ‘power of invitation’. People often get involved in community sponsorship when they are invited to do so by someone they know and trust. Dutch Historian Rutger Bregman cites research showing that many of the Dutch people who hid Jews during the Holocaust did so simply because someone asked them to. I ask you to consider who you might invite to become involved or consider if you have scope to deepen your own involvement in this positive and hopeful movement. Whether you have time, money, expertise or access to networks of people – there is a role for you in this important work, and an increasing array of programs to get involved in (including employer sponsored pathways and pathways for refugee students). 

An enormous thank you to all of you working with us to build this movement – local community supporter group members, donors, supporting community organisations and the newcomers who are now making their own contributions to Australia, including by becoming supporters themselves in some cases! Please enjoy this little ‘2025 Highlights Reel’ that we’ve produced as our ‘thank you’ to you all, and check out some of the facts, figures and links below.

Warm regards and best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season. 

Lisa and the CRSA team 

Further support the community sponsorship movement by ordering a ‘Refugees Welcome’ T-shirt or donating to our work below:

Order a Refugees Welcome T-shirt

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