Refugee and Immigrant Services

Claire Zelman, Refugee and Immigrant Services Coordinator

856-424-1333  •  czelman@jfedsnj.org

The Refugee and Immigrant Services Program of Jewish Family and Children's Service of Southern New Jersey has helped thousands of refugees and immigrants make new lives in the United States since the founding of our agency over sixty years ago. Through the years, Samost JFCS has resettled several waves of Russian-born refugees, immigrants, as well as immigrants from Israel, Lithuania, Iran, Latin America, Southeast Asia and many other countries.

Jewish Family and Children's Service of Southern New Jersey is recognized by the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals, and has an accredited representative on staff (Claire Zelman), who is certified to provide assistance and file petitions for those who seek immigration benefits. She is also permitted by the Department of Homeland Security to accompany and represent clients on their interviews with immigration officers at Citizenship and Immigration Services. Follow-up continues until a case is concluded.

Samost JFCS provides affordable assistance with:

Case management services are also available, including advocacy and assistance with issues relating to government agencies and entitlements, such as accessing health care services and bill resolution. Interpretation services and document translation are available in many languages. Assistance is also provided with English language tutoring, vocational assessment, and advocacy. All these services provide a great deal of reassurance to newcomers to the U.S. who frequently experience frustration in their attempt to deal with federal and state agencies.

As a nonprofit agency, Samost JFCS fees are very affordable and compare quite favorably to those of a private immigration attorney. Samost JFCS has extended its services to a variety of foreign-born populations, including immigrants from Asia, nations with Spanish-speaking populations and others. Zelman is fluent in Russian and Yiddish, and can translate original documents from Spanish, Italian and other languages. Additionally, she has access to a computer program capable of translation in fifteen languages.

Please see Samost JFCS advertisement, in Russian, about our services on page 145 in the Russian Yellow Pages.

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