Official statement of JFNA:
“Jewish Federations condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and are deeply concerned for the wellbeing of the country’s entire population, including the Jewish community.
We are working to get help to those in need as quickly as possible through our partner organizations, The Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, and World ORT, which have mobilized their extensive operations on the ground.
Together we have been preparing for this worst-case scenario for weeks.
Plans now in motion rely on the strong presence built up through years of Federation support that is today serving as a critical lifeline to help protect and safeguard Ukraine's Jewish community, the many important Jewish organizations working in Ukraine, as well as Jews in neighboring countries.
We pray for safety for all, and for a speedy end to the hostilities.”
What are our partners doing for the 200,000 Jews in Ukraine?
-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 in Hebrew, Ukrainian, and Russian
-Securing temporary housing for people in transit
-Purchasing satellite phones to maintain communications across the region
-Securing five Jewish schools and training staff to manage crisis needs
How can we help?
Lifting language from the JFNA website, I was about to type the immediate need to raise $16 million, when the number jumped to $20 million. I fear that this number is only going up. To donate, you can send a payment through us or go directly to the JFNA webpage here. (When prompted for a community, ours is “Northeastern NY.”)
What else can we do?
Join us Monday evening at Congregation Beth Emeth (or livestreamed) for an interfaith hour of prayer and reflection. As of this writing, the growing list of cosponsors includes:
-Interfaith Alliance of NYS
-Sidney and Beatrice Albert Interfaith Lecture Series
-Capital District Board of Rabbis and Cantors
-Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY
-Tendai Buddhist Institute
-The Hindu Community of the Capital District
-Roman Catholic Dioceses of Albany
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