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continued from p.5 Oakville's Katie Joaquim, also a member of Maple Grove Church, has offered her home to help the family get comfortable during the first few months. The plan is to then find an apartment rental that is within budget and is located in an area that has good employment opportunities. Shaarei-Beth El Synagogue Rabbi Stephen Wise, an ACT founding member, said it's important for the group to do what it can to help. "This is a crisis that seems to affect people on the other side of the world in Syria," said Wise. "We may not know Syrians ourselves, we might not understand completely what's happening in that civil war, but we can understand when a human being is being kicked out of his or her home and fears persecution for whatever reason -- political, economic, ethnic, religious persecution... it doesn't matter." He continued, "Here in Oakville, I bet anyone Rally Sunday to celebrate local residents' ACT-ing to help Syrians could trace their roots back -- their parents, their grandparents, their great grandparents -- to another country... my grandparents survived the Holocaust and were refugees. If Canada hadn't open up the border after the Holocaust, I wouldn't be alive today." Dr. Aliyah Khan, another founding member of ACT who is part of charity group Canadians in Support of Refugees in Dire Need (CSRDN), added she'd like to see Canada return to being a beacon of hope for everyone. "Canadians have always been generous and Canadians have always stood for peace and justice throughout the world and we're hoping Canada will again lead in this area," she said. "I was recently watching a documentary about World War II and how the children were being evacuated from England in anticipation of the bombs and I was thinking there's no one there to evacuate the children of Syria." Wise hopes other groups and communities will follow ACT's actions. "It might seem like you can't do anything, that it's too big a crisis, but it's not," he said. "Every little bit helps. There's a Jewish saying, `We might not be able to finish the work, but that doesn't relieve you of the obligation to start.' So if you give $1, if you donate one piece of furniture, if you tell one other person about it, you can make a difference." Joaquim added she would personally feel the world were a safer place if everyone "shared more -- not less. If we knew each other better, co-operated better, that's what makes me feel safe," she said. Residents looking to offer help can attend a rally Sunday (Oct. 25) at the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), located at 220 South Sheridan Way, Mississauga, from 1-3:30 p.m. Khan said the family-friendly event would be a celebration of unity and the work ACT has done to date to help Syrian refugees. There will also be information on how residents can help other Syrian refugee families. Those wishing to contribute financially to help the family ACT is sponsoring can do so by sending a cheque to CSRDN on Southdown Road, the Shaarei-Beth El Synagogue on Morrison Road, Oakville, or Maple Grove United Church on Maple Grove Road in Oakville. 7 | Friday, October 23, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Thinking about your child's education? THE IS YOuRS ChOICE 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. ALL SChOOL OpEn hOuSE Saturday, October 24, 2015 The Oakville Independent Schools offer students unique opportunities to enrich their lives, confront new challenges, explore their passions and develop confidence and resilience. Come and explore the many benefits of an independent education. Learn about the enriched programs in the arts, music, athletics and languages that complement a solid academic foundation. Extracurricular activities are considered essential and provide opportunities for all students to participate. Choose an Oakville Independent School. www.educationoakville.com To learn more, and to access a map of school locations, visit