Extending The Welcom

Rabbi Weil, Cardinal Maida testify at a
Senate hearing on immigration.

DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer

eshivat Akiva teacher Moshe
Har-Noy, 27, was born and
educated in Israel. He has no
intention of making
Michigan his permanent home.
But, if he ever wants to, United
States immigration law could make it
difficult, time-consuming or even
impossible.
Revisions in immigration law would
eliminate the uncertainty felt not only

sages our popular culture sends them,
The act would guarantee that
10,000 foreign-born religious work
like the young teachers Akiva impc
ed from Israel, would be granted
manent visas each year.
In 1990, Congress approved legis
tion to accomplish this. However, th
legislation must be renewed periodic
and is due to expire Sept. 30.
Sen. Abraham said his bill woL
"eliminate the sunset provisions in tl
current law and extend permanently
religious workers provisions of the

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From left:
Rabbi Weil
Cardinal Mait
Senator AbrahJ

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by foreign-born religious workers, but
also by the institutions that desperately
need their expertise.
Rabbi-Steven Weil of Young Israel of
Oak Park, and Cardinal Adam Maida of
the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit,
went to Washington Thursday, April 13,
to testify in favor of these revisions.
Speaking before the Senate Judiciary
Committee's Immigration
Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Spencer
Abraham (R-Mich.), the religious lead-
ers gave unqualified support to the
Abraham-sponsored bill, which is
known as the Mother Theresa Religious
Workers Act.
"There's a shortage of priests, nuns,
cantors, teachers, shochets [ritual
slaughterers]," Rabbi Weil said. "If
there's always the potential that the
work visa will run out, there's no way
for a congregation or a school to do
long-term planning."
Har-Noy and three other Israeli
teachers, who came to Akiva this fall,
have invigorated not only the school but
also the community, Rabbi Weil told
subcommittee members.
"The impact they have had in the
short time they have been with us is
immeasurable. They are role models for
our children, living textbooks teaching
them about the kind of people we want
them to be, combating the negative mes-

Immigration and Naturalization Ac
"No longer should religious i t
tutions have to worry about wheth e
Congress will act in time to renew
religious workers provisions," he sai
The law would allow up to 5,0
ordained religious leaders and 5,0
religious vocational or occupation
workers to receive permanent visa
said Stuart Anderson, the subcoM
tee's director of immigration police
could be used only by those religi
institutions with 501-3c status as
deductible organizations.
Without a permanent visa, alsc
known as a green card, religious v
ers receive R-1 status, which can
extended for a total of five years.
Then, workers have to go home f
year before re-applying.
Jewish institutions are not the
ones looking abroad for religious
workers. The Catholic Church In-
serious problems finding well-tra
inspired people to serve as lay mi
ters, said Doug Dadisman, direct
immigration legal services for the
Detroit Archdiocese.
"In our church, we simply doll
have the human power to fill our)
needs, he said."
Dadisman, who works on imm
tion issues with people of all religic
said he recently helped workers at

