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May 5, 2022

JDC Call Center Operators are Saving Lives in Ukraine

“I'm sitting here in the office, but really I'm there. I'm in the war,” recounts Olga Lomkin, an operator at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) call center in Israel where they are focused on one thing: saving lives in Ukraine. When the Russian invasion began, Greater Miami Jewish Federation overseas partner JDC opened a call center in Jerusalem that operates Ukrainian hotlines. Olga describes receiving a call from a client in Ukraine who desperately needed to evacuate his elderly mother. He was fleeing and had to leave her behind in Zhytomyr, where the war was escalating. “The whole time, I could hear bombs in the background or the boom, boom, like bullets,” she shudders. Olga, knowing if she didn’t act quickly the woman’s life would be in jeopardy, immediately secured a team to move the client’s mother to safety. “You start thinking your work is very important,” Olga admits, adding with obvious emotion. “We are really saving people’s lives.” To date, the hotlines have answered more than 52,000 calls. Click here to watch a video of Olga’s account in her own words. To make a donation to our Ukraine Emergency Fund, please click here.

Welcoming Shlichim at Summer Camps

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Despite a war with Iran, ballistic missiles and Israel’s closed airspace, this year’s delegation of summer camp shlichim (emissaries) is the largest ever.

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Helping People With Disabilities During Crises

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When emergency sirens blare in Israel, most people run quickly to safety in shelters, but for those with disabilities, this may be impossible, which is why Federation is funding essential programs that help during wars, terror attacks and more.

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Remembering the AMIA Attack in Argentina

Remembering the AMIA Attack in Argentina

Join Jewish Miami on Tuesday, July 22 for the Annual Commemoration of the tragic AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina) Jewish Community Center bombing in Argentina 31 years ago.

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Hurricane Season Is Here

Hurricane Season Is Here

You can join the 2025 JVC Emergency Response Team (JVERT) to support our community if a disaster strikes.

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