The first Afghan family to be sponsored by a Louisville synagogue arrived Thursday night. Members of Temple Shalom were on hand at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to greet Jalaludin and Razia Shirzad, and their two-week-old son, Hewad, following their flight from Washington, D.C. Hewad was born on Oct 20 in Virginia, where the family had been staying, making him a U.S. citizen. His parents are from the Nuristan province of Northeastern Afghanistan. Temple Shalom purchased bedding, dishes, groceries and other necessities for the family’s West Louisville apartment and set up the dwelling prior to their arrival. Representatives of the Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM), which is resettling the family, also were at the airport, providing a Pashto-speaking interpreter to communicate with the family. As many as 200 Afghans, all fleeing their country in the wake of its fall to the Taliban, are expected to be settled in Louisville. In addition to Temple Shalom, Keneseth Israel, The Temple and Adath Jeshurun will sponsor families. The Jewish Community Center has collected necessities for the newcomers while Jewish Family & Career Services will open its food pantry and offer services, and NCJW-Louisville has opened its Nearly New Shop for KRM. Read Community for more details. (Community photos by Lee Chottiner)
