13 Focused on What Matters “David”is a proud Jew who was born in the late 1930s in Alexandria, Egypt. During his childhood, the greater Egyptian public became suspicious of the Egyptian-Jewish community because they believed that Jews were loyal to the new State of Israel. Despite being targeted during his youth for being Jewish, interned in an Egyptian concentration camp during the 1967 Six Day War, and persecuted in other ways, David decided to remain in Alexandria in order to care for the Jewish community. His courageous efforts, however, meant that he, his wife“Nicole,”and his children would be subject to government surveillance, threats, and even violence on account of their identity. Right before the turn of the 21st century, David’s children decided to flee Egypt. David and Nicole, nonetheless, chose to remain. David felt a personal responsibility to assist the aging Jewish residents and safeguard the community’s synagogue and artifacts. In 2008, Egyptian authorities started to take over the Jewish community. They appointed a Muslim convert as the community’s president, and began seizing communal assets. When David spoke up about what was taking place, authorities warned him to be quiet. Facing continued persecution and recognizing that the number of Jews in all of Egypt had dwindled to about 100, David and Nicole concluded that they could no longer be of service in Alexandria, and decided to apply for asylum on a previously planned trip to the United States. They expected a smooth process, but that would not be the case. US officials questioned whether David and Nicole would be subject to future persecution if returned to Egypt, and their case was referred to immigration court for adjudication. With strategic direction from attorney Susan Cohen and guidance from former Mintz Levin attorneys Jeffrey Goldman and Marisa Howe, attorneys Bram Shapiro and Ari Stern worked to defend the couple in immigration court. As part of establishing that David and Nicole had a well-founded fear of future persecution, Bram and Ari collected supporting materials, including affidavits from experts. Attorney Christophe Difo provided key research and drafted important documents, and Assistant Diane Sandonato ensured the accuracy of the voluminous filings. After a two-day hearing, the immigration court granted asylum to David and Nicole, who can now live out their golden years with a sense of peace and security in the United States. We are very lucky being in the United States of America. We stayed in hiding for all our life in Egypt, and being accepted finally in a place where we no longer have to risk our life every day is a major change in our view of life. Home here is a true home. “David” Making the Case for Asylum (continued) A Jewish Community Leader Flees Alexandria