Aug 22, 2023
First Mission to Ukraine Demonstrates Federation’s Unwavering Support for War-Torn Country
Earlier this month, 12 Jewish Federation leaders visited war-torn communities in Ukraine to assess the needs on the ground and witness first-hand the life-saving impact of Federation funds on daily life. This is the first mission of its kind to Ukraine led by a major Jewish organization since the war began 18 months ago. During the visit, participants spent time with Ukrainian Jews, including those who are internally displaced, and observed the resilience of Jewish communities fostering connections and maintaining routines during challenging times, thanks in part to the work of our overseas partners the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and The Jewish Agency for Israel.
Site visits included Hesed Arieh in Lviv, which provides human services, material and medical assistance, and Jewish programming for the city's elderly and poor and the wider Jewish community. The center includes a Warming Hub, used by locals seeking warmth and care during the harsh winter months, as well as a Volunteer Hub. The Mission group also spent time at an overnight summer camp for Jewish youth where they enjoyed a summer experience in a safe environment while learning about Jewish identity and building connections with Israel and the rest of the Jewish world. Additionally, participants observed resilience training led by professionals from the Israel Trauma Coalition, another Federation partner, and organized by The Jewish Agency’s JReady initiative, to help school principals and administrators associated with the Chabad community in Ukraine.
The four-day mission concluded in Hungary with briefings from Federation partner agencies and a visit to Camp Szarvas, a Jewish identity and leadership-building summer program for youth from dozens of countries. This past winter, with Jewish Federation support, the facility was used as a respite camp for hundreds of Ukrainian Jews.
To date, Jewish Federations have collectively raised more than $90 million for humanitarian aid and relief for Ukrainians and continue to provide critical support for the Ukrainian Jewish community within Ukraine as well as those who fled to other locales.
