Read a June 13, 2007, New York Times story about an African-American congregation in Mamaroneck, N.Y., that serves as an official hiring site for largely Hispanic day laborers. One expert says very few of the nation’s hiring sites are associated with African-American churches.

Read a March 21, 2010, Huffington Post column on whether the black church supports immigration reform.

Ellen M. Umansky is a professor of religious studies at Fairfield University in Connecticut, where she teaches many courses, including one on women in Judaism. She focuses on Jewish history in the U.S. and England, leadership and women’s spirituality. She wrote the book From Christian Science to Jewish Science: Spiritual Healing and American Jews.

Mark Tooley is president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy, a faith-based organization that tracks how Christian denominations respond to issues such as religious liberty, LGBT rights and immigration and often advocates for a more conservative approach.

Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins is rabbi emeritus of the Jewish Center of Princeton, N.J. He is also a lecturer, educator and author of Jewish and general press.

The Elat Chayyim Retreat Center is a place for spiritual contemplation for Jews. During the Labor Day weekend of 2006, the retreat moved from its longtime home in Accord, N.Y., to Falls Village, Conn.

Reform Rabbi Rachel Cowan is executive director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, which uses Torah study, prayer, mindfulness meditation, yoga, and spiritual direction and retreats to nurture deeper spirituality among rabbis, cantors and lay people. Rabbi Cowan is author to a number of books and publications, including Growing Up Yanqui (Viking Juvenile, 1975) and Mixed Blessings (Penguin Books, […]

Bill Mefford is director of civil and human rights at the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society.

Ricardo Hernandez works on immigrant and refugee rights for the American Friends Service Committee. Contact 215-241-7132.