Headline

The 200,000 members of Ukraine's Jewish community are especially vulnerable. Tens of thousands hide from explosions in bomb shelters or synagogues. Thousands more left their homes behind to flee the fighting.

JUF has always been there for the Jewish community of Ukraine—providing life-saving services to homebound Holocaust survivors and families in need.

It is our mission to help Jews locally and globally wherever they are in need—every day and during times of crisis. This is what we’re made for.

However, the Jews of Ukraine now face an extraordinary crisis, the likes of which we haven’t seen for generations. And once again, JUF is there where help is needed most.

If you want to help, please DONATE NOW to JUF's Ukraine Relief Fund

Here is what JUF is doing—and some resources on how you can learn more and help.

JUF swiftly advanced $1 million in emergency funds and has rushed an additional $6.71 million in emergency allocations to our partners on the ground as they work around the clock to provide emergency assistance to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and surrounding countries.

These partners include the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and World ORT—along with Chabad, Emergency Volunteers Project,Federation Professional Volunteer Initiative, Hadassah Medical Organization, HIAS, Hillel International, Israel Trauma Coalition, JCC Krakow, Jewish Community of Vienna, Nefesh B’Nefesh, Project Kesher, Shma Yisrael and United Hatzalah.

Right now–thanks to your support—JUF's partners on the ground are:

  • Helping people caught in the crossfire within Ukraine:
    • Delivering more than 314 tons of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and other crucial supplies.
    • Evacuating more than 12,500 people fleeing Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernikiv and other towns and cities under fire, organizing caravans and hundreds of buses to bring them to safety.
    • Providing temporary housing to thousands who have fled their homes.
    • Serving as a lifeline to 40,000 homebound elderly, many of whom are Holocaust survivors, and delivering special assistance to thousands of adults and children, who are especially vulnerable.
    • Helping the Ukraine health system and NGOs to assist a population that is suffering from severe psychological trauma.
    • Sending training and medical delegations to help address mass casualties and trauma.
  • Assisting refugees in neighboring countries:
    • Welcoming many of the millions of refugees who have crossed into neighboring countries, providing them with food, blankets, medication, clothing, hygiene supplies, first aid and potable drinking water—aid that is being delivered through 18 facilities at five border crossings.
    • Securing temporary accommodations for nearly 20,000 refugees in Romania, Moldova, Poland and Hungary, and providing them with food, medical care and psychological support.
    • Helping transform hotels into refugee centers that provide multi-faceted assistance to displaced people.
    • Providing ongoing assistance to the many refugees who will remain in these counties indefinitely, hoping to return to their homes or be reunited with their draft age (18-60) male relatives.
    • Launching a central volunteer hub to recruit and place hundreds of skilled volunteers (especially those who speak Russian and Ukrainian) on the ground in coming months, and equipping local Jewish community leaders with training, tools and resources to assist refugees effectively.
  • Facilitating expedited aliyah for those ready to immigrate to Israel:
    • Partnering with the Israeli government to expedite the immigration process for tens of thousands. To date, 21,000 Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian Jews have moved to Israel, with thousands more expected in the near future.
    • Preparing for accelerated immigration to Israel from the rest of the former Soviet Union, including Russia and Belarus, in the face of dramatically escalating tensions and worsening economies there. An estimated 25,000 from throughout the region are expected to arrive in Israel in the near future.
    • Planning for the long-term integration into Israel of these newcomers—providing housing, employment assistance, financial aid and Hebrew instruction, as well as psychological support and trauma counseling—to ensure they begin their new lives in Israel from a position of strength.
    • Dispatching fleets of mobile kitchens, staffed by volunteers, to deliver hot meals to Ukrainian refugees being hosted by Israeli families.
  • Bolstering security at Jewish institutions:
    • Awarding over 100 emergency security grants to communities and organizations in Ukraine to secure Jewish schools, JCCs and synagogues.
    • Safeguarding Jewish individuals in their home communities and temporary accommodations.
  • Coordinating among local Jewish organizations to ensure a united emergency response:
    • Guiding tens of thousands of callers in crisis through emergency hotline centers, housed in Moldova and Israel.
    • Equipping staff in field offices throughout Ukraine and neighboring countries with supplies and wide-ranging contingencies to ensure they can continue to reach and assist those in need.

JUF is in constant contact with our partners to keep abreast of the latest developments and local needs. For the latest, follow JUF on Facebook.

It is thanks to your support of JUF that this infrastructure is in place to protect and care for these hundreds of thousands of at-risk Jews. In these anxious days, you, quite literally, are a lifeline.

Anyone looking to help their Jewish family/friends in Ukraine can contact:

JUF thanks the following partners for supporting our Ukraine relief efforts:

Ukraine Crisis Relief Supporting Organizations: Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School, Beber Camp, Bradley Hillel, Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, Chai LifeLine Midwest, Chicago Board of Rabbis, Chicago Jewish Day School, CJE SeniorLife, Dina and Eli Field EZRA Multi-Service Center, Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, Holocaust Community Services at CJE SeniorLife, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Illini Hillel, JCC Chicago, JCFS Chicago, Keshet, Metro Chicago Hillel, Northwestern Hillel, Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, The ARK, The Hillels of Illinois, University of Chicago Hillel, Upward Community, Yachad Chicago

Ukraine Crisis Relief Supporting Congregations: Am Shalom, Am Yisrael Congregation, Anshe Emet Synagogue, Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation, Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Kesser Maariv Anshe Luknik, Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah, Chicago Loop Synagogue, Chicago Sinai Congregation, Congregation Etz Chaim of DuPage County, Congregation Shearis Yisroel, Congregation Ahavat Olam, Congregation Anshe Tikvah, Congregation Bene Shalom, Congregation Beth Am, Congregation Beth Judea, Congregation Beth Shalom of Northbrook, Congregation Beth Shalom of Naperville, Congregation BJBE, Congregation B'nai Tikvah, Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park, Congregation Kneseth Israel, Congregation Or Torah, Congregation Rodfei Zedek, Congregation Yehuda Moshe, Emanuel Congregation, Jewish Family Experience, KAM Isaiah Israel, Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation, Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation A.G. Beth Israel, Mishkan Chicago, Moriah, North Shore Congregation Israel, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Oak Park Temple B'nai Abraham Zion, Shir Hadash Synagogue, Skokie Valley Agudath Jacon, Temple Beth Israel, Temple Beth-El of Northbrook, Temple Chai, Temple Har Zion, Temple Jeremiah, Temple Sholom of Chicago, The New Reform Congregation Kadima, Young Israel of West Rogers Park