As millions of Jews gather to observe Yom Kippur next week, we’ll recite the solemn Unetaneh Tokef prayer with its harrowing list of death by various means.

For many of us, the phrase “Who by water …” will have tragic resonance as we recall the lifeless body of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, a Syrian refugee, who washed ashore after drowning during his family’s grueling, but hopeful, journey to a new life.

Kurdi — whose death garnered overwhelming media attention and set off a new round of international responses to the worst refugee crisis since World War II — was but one of millions who have been displaced in recent years by war, famine, and upheaval in many forms.

For the Jewish community, which has known a history of dislocation and persecution, this crisis has special resonance and has catalyzed aid responses for two major populations fleeing civil conflict in their homelands: Ukrainian Jews and Syrian refugees.

While the two situations are vastly different in many ways, the humanitarian response to the needs of these people facing homelessness, fear, and utter despair has once again demonstrated our collective Jewish capacity to save lives and uphold our tradition’s sacred value for each individual life.

The Jewish United Fund, our longtime partner, has been among the leading supporters and advocates for these efforts. This work has been ongoing for several years and are worth revisiting — and supporting anew with critical speed — in the face of swelling numbers of refugees and migrants pushing across Europe and ongoing violence and widespread economic devastation in Ukraine.

For refugees and migrants in Europe and other parts of the Middle East, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)-led Jewish Coalition for Syrian Refugees in Jordan — initiated two years ago — has expanded its mandate and is raising funds to provide aid beyond Jordan. In a short time, the Coalition has raised more than $125,000 — beyond the $500,000 already raised and disbursed in critical medical, nutritional, and psychosocial care for refugees in Jordan-and is soliciting aid proposals from Jewish and non-sectarian organizations working in Europe.

To bolster those efforts, JDC experts in Hungary, where we have a significant ground presence, have been distributing basic supplies to refugees in Budapest train stations and assessing needs and best avenues for support at refugee camps/transit centers. Probable interventions include safe spaces for children and women and psychosocial support programs.

For Ukraine’s displaced Jews-who fled two-years of violent internecine conflict in the eastern part of their country — challenges are many: homelessness, unemployment, and lack of connections in new cities they call home. They also face suspicion and discrimination from potential employers and landlords.

So we have deployed a robust aid package through the network of JDC-supported Hesed social welfare centers in Ukraine. Our support for 2,800-plus displaced Jews includes: food, medicine, stipends for new accommodation, temporary housing, post-trauma care, and vitally important winter fuel, bedding, and clothing. We have also connected these Jews to their new Jewish communities, critical social services, education, holiday celebrations, summer camps, and other Jewish cultural activities.

At a meeting just two weeks ago in Kiev with displaced Jews receiving our help, one woman stood out. Ekaterina was her name and with tears on her face she told her story:

“When I came from Donetsk, I was in a terrible state. After shooting and missile attacks, I fled to Kiev and then I had to undergo very complicated surgery. I cried all the time when I recalled the last events in my native city. The Joint (JDC) /Hesed returned me to life. Now I can smile again. I am so grateful.”

While it is easy to despair in the face of such odds, of human suffering that reminds us of our tragic past as Jews, our ongoing work to address this overwhelming refugee crisis is a testament to the Jewish spirit and a hallmark of Jewish tenacity. As in the past, we are bucking the winds of history and working to make whole a world in chaos.

As we repair broken lives and hearts, we urge you to join JUF, and all of us, as we once again put into action the concept of arveut , mutual responsibility for our fellow Jews and all humankind.

Alan H. Gill is the CEO of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Will Recant is JDC’s Assistant Executive Vice President overseeing the Jewish Coalition for Syrian Refugees.

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is an overseas partner of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago.