The Crossing: Voices from The Lighthouse

Send us a text What drives ordinary people to extraordinary acts of kindness? For Harriet Taub and Kathy Prussak, members of the United Synagogue of Hoboken's Refugee Committee, the answer lies at the intersection of faith, heritage, and a profound commitment to human dignity. Living "literally in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty," these two remarkable women have formed a powerful partnership with the Lighthouse, an Episcopal ministry serving refugees and asylum seekers. Their regular foo...

Send us a text For immigration attorney Cari Pastor, the law is more than a profession—it’s a calling. With 35 years of experience and a personal connection—her father fled Cuba during the 1959 revolution and sought asylum in the U.S.—she brings rare clarity to how the asylum process really works. In our conversation, Pastor dismantles some of the loudest myths. Seeking asylum is not illegal; it is a protected legal process whether at a port of entry or after crossing. Asylum seekers aren’t ...

Send us a text Jessica's voice carries the quiet power of someone who has walked through darkness and emerged with purpose. As our first house manager at The Lighthouse, she helped create a community for asylum seekers when her own journey was still unfolding. Nine years after we first met, Jessica now shares how a leap of faith brought her from Burkina Faso to an unexpected six months in U.S. immigration detention. "I was the only French-speaking person there," Jessica recalls of her detent...

Send us a text A chance hallway encounter becomes the catalyst for profound ministry when Reverend Melissa Hall notices a worried expression and stops to help. "Everything okay?" she asks, learning about a stranded family needing transportation funds. Her simple "we'll help with that" launches a partnership that transforms both St. James Episcopal Church and The Lighthouse community. This conversation pulls back the curtain on what authentic faith in action looks like. Reverends Melissa and ...

Send us a text Few stories capture the brutal reality of seeking asylum in America like Jose's journey. Fleeing violence in Honduras at just 19 years old, he arrived at the U.S. border in October 2015 with hopes of safety and reuniting with family in Miami. Instead, he entered a labyrinthine detention system that would consume 18 months of his life. The most shocking aspect of Jose's experience wasn't just the physical hardship – though being handcuffed at wrists and ankles, transferred betw...

Send us a text "The perception about immigrants being criminals is false, false, false." These powerful words from Kofi, a Ghanaian asylum seeker, cut through the noise of political rhetoric to reveal the human reality behind migration statistics. Kofi never intended to come to America. Facing persecution in Ghana, he initially sought refuge in Nicaragua with his wife and two young sons, only to discover that crime, kidnapping, and language barriers made it impossible to build a safe life th...