Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Vilified Nonprofit Founded In NYC

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — The Jewish nonprofit that a gunman vilified before opening fire on a Pittsburgh synagogue was founded more than a century ago in the Lower East Side and helped thousands of Jews immigrate to New York City.

A couple of hours before accused gunman Robert Bowers killed 11 and wounded six others at the Tree of Life Synagogue Saturday, he posted on the social network Gab, “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

HIAS, or the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, had been a target of Bowers hate at least once before when three weeks earlier he linked to a HIAS project dubbed National Refugee Shabbat and wrote, "Why hello there HIAS! You like to bring in hostile invaders to dwell among us?" Another post warned, “Open you Eyes! It’s the filthy evil jews Bringing the Filthy evil Muslims into the Country!!”

The group is no stranger to hate from the anti-Semitic right, which has accused HIAS of bringing immigrants to the U.S. in an elaborate scheme designed to benefit Jews. All of the posts have since been removed by Gab, a site often promoted as an alternative to Twitter for those banned from the platform for racism or harassment.

Founded in 1881 to assist Jews fleeing Russia and Eastern Europe, HIAS is one of the oldest refugee protection agencies in the U.S.

Its work began out of a Lower East Side storefront when a group of American Jews organized to provide meals, transportation and job services for New York City's ballooning population of Jews escaping anti-Semitism and war. The organization founded a shelter in the neighborhood, offering food, dormitory space and clothing to those in need, according to HIAS.

The group expanded its mission with a bureau on Ellis Island in 1904, offering translation services and guiding new arrivals through the immigration process. It also helped those detained on the island find their relatives, according to the nonprofit.

In 1980, HIAS joined eight other organizations as an official voluntary agency for the State Department's Office of Refugee Resettlement. The U.S. government refers immigration cases to HIAS, which works with a network of affiliates to help resettle the refugees.

"The work that we do, although its changed to adapt to the times that we’re in, it’s the same work," Melanie Nezer, the senior vice president of public affairs for HIAS told WNYC.

Within the last two decades HIAS began helping non-Jewish immigrants from predominately war-torn countries, such as Afghanistan, Bosnia and Ethiopia, providing them with housing and job assistance. To date, the organization has helped resettle more than 4.5 million refugees and asylum seekers.

The nonprofit is also involved in immigration causes across the globe through its ten international offices.

"We like to say we used to help refugees because they were Jewish. Now we help refugees because we are Jewish," Nezer told WNYC.

Photo courtesy of Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images