The severity of the war in Ukraine, its inhumane treatment of civilians, and devasting destruction, is apparent to anyone watching or reading the news. What is not found in the main-stream media, however, is that at the start of the war, Ukraine was home to more than 200,000 Jews. In addition to wanting to help all Ukrainians, a special desire and obligation exists to help those in the Jewish community, many who are considered especially vulnerable as they are elderly or impoverished.
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, with assistance from Tidewater Jewish Foundation, created the Tidewater Ukraine Emergency Fund in early March to send dollars to help feed, secure, and relocate as many of these people as possible.
The Tidewater Ukraine Emergency Fund has raised and distributed almost $278,000 as of Monday, April 4. The money has been sent to United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s overseas partner agencies, the American-Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Jewish Agency for Israel to be used to assist refugees and those still in Ukraine.
The Ukraine Emergency Fund focuses on:
• Helping people make Aliyah to Israel
• Securing the local community and its institutions
• Maintaining critical welfare services
• Assisting internally displaced people in multiple locations
• Launching an emergency hotline
• Securing temporary housing for people in transit
• Purchasing satellite phones to maintain communications
The 146 Jewish Federations across North America have raised more than $43 million and continue to work with the overseas partners to ensure relief reaches those who need it most.
“The needs in Ukraine and for those who’ve left are only growing,” says Betty Ann Levin, executive vice president, UJFT.
Help UJFT deliver hope and help now when it is so desperately needed.
To give online, go to www.jewishva.org.
To give with a check, mail to:
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Attention: Ukraine Emergency Fund
5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200
Virginia Beach, VA 23462