About Safed House

Safed House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a welcoming space for refugees and recent immigrants to share their stories and find their voice within the American tapestry. Founded in 2017, Safed House offers a culturally sensitive environment where storytelling becomes a path to healing, resilience, and connection.

Our name is inspired by Safed, a town in the northern Galilee that was once home to many Palestinians who became refugees in 1948. The organization was co-founded by Susan Assadi and her late husband, Sami Assadi—a refugee from Safed. Together, they brought their shared heritage as a Palestinian and Jewish American household to the heart of this mission.

Motivated by Sami’s journey and the broader refugee experience, Safed House is committed to helping displaced individuals build strength through storytelling. Our programs also embrace immigrants, recognizing the shared challenges and triumphs of adapting to life in a new land.

We strive to shift the narrative around refugees in America—from one dominated by statistics and fear to one rooted in compassion and admiration. Through personal stories of transition and resilience, we remind our communities that the refugee experience echoes a universal human journey—one that every American, in some way, has lived.

Our flagship initiative is an essay writing contest that celebrates the voices of refugees and immigrants. Through this and other programs, Safed House fosters empathy, empowerment, and hope—demonstrating how newcomers continue to enrich and strengthen the fabric of American society.

In a time when intolerance threatens to divide, Safed House stands as a beacon for understanding. We believe that building empathy is not just an act of kindness—it is a powerful antidote to fear.