In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City’s board of directors on Monday approved a grant of $139,000, joining the Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) $20 million emergency campaign to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Jewish populations living in Ukraine.
Funds will be allocated through Jewish Federations’ core partners, The Jewish Agency for Israel, The Joint Distribution Committee and World ORT, and other NGOs on the ground in Ukraine. The funds will provide critical welfare where it is needed most and support to protect and safeguard Ukraine's Jewish community as well as Jews in neighboring countries.
Funds will support urgent necessities of vulnerable Jewish populations, community security, temporary housing for displaced persons, emergency needs in Jewish schools and aliyah-related assistance.
“We take pride in sustaining Jewish life not only at home here in Kansas City, but around the world,” said Helene Lotman, Jewish Federation president and CEO. “Kansas City has always answered the call when there are needs related to Jewish communities around the globe.”
Over and above the $139,000 of community money approved Monday, Federation has been raising funds since last week via both targeted and mass outreach to local donors. The response has been robust, with these efforts generating in excess of $30,000, all of which will go toward meeting the needs in Ukraine.
Other Jewish Federations also are generously supporting this relief effort, with the Minneapolis Jewish Federation approving an emergency grant of $200,000 and raising additional funds from local donors, and UJA Federation of New York authorizing an immediate $3 million in emergency grants, for example.
There are approximately 200,000 members of Ukraine’s Jewish community, which boasts close to 300 Jewish organizations dispersed throughout some 100 towns and cities. Since the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014, they have been profoundly affected by political and economic instability, and Jewish Federations, together with their partner agencies, have provided ongoing support for communal needs, programming and humanitarian aid.
Through the Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish Federations have brought emissaries from Israel to Ukraine, have run Sunday programs, have brought Ukrainian youth to Israel for immersive programs, and have supported the Jews making aliyah. The Jewish Agency is now expecting a significant wave of immigration and has opened six aliyah processing stations along the Ukrainian border in Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary. The Agency will house the immigrants in hotels until they are able to fly to Israel, with support from Jewish Federations.
In addition, the Agency has set up two emergency call centers operating 24/7 in Ukraine and in Israel. In Ukraine, the hotline helps process applications for aliyah and directs callers to various assistance centers. In Israel, the Global Aliyah Center is assisting Israeli families of Ukrainian Jews. The hotlines operate in Hebrew, Ukrainian and Russian.
Through JDC, Jewish Federations supported multiple Hesed centers across 1,000 locations, serving the most vulnerable people of Ukraine — including during the last few months in the face of rising food, medicine and utility costs. These spiking humanitarian needs have led JDC to provide extra essentials and to activate emergency hotlines and volunteer corps. Now, to respond to the significant movement of the population, JDC has secured three safe facilities/shelters for fleeing or displaced Jews and has set up transportation to these safe locations.
In addition, through World ORT, Jewish Federations have played an important role in the renewal of Jewish life through serving thousands of people via Jewish day schools, vocational training and more. Now, all ORT schools in Ukraine are closed, and the organization is reinforcing safety and security measures at all its schools in the country. World ORT is providing emergency items to support students, teachers and families, including foods with long shelf lives, water, matches and lighters, batteries and portable chargers, bio-toilets, LED torches and walkie-talkies, first aid kits and essential medicines.
“Jewish Federations are hard at work, day after day, year after year, in times of crisis and calm, to build flourishing Jewish communities,” said Mark Wilf, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Jewish Federations of North America. “And when an emergency erupts, we are positioned to meet the challenges of Jewish people and communities around the world.”
Current plans for assistance to Ukraine rely on the strong presence built up through years of Jewish Federation support that today is serving as a lifeline to help protect and safeguard Ukraine's Jewish community, the many Jewish organizations working in Ukraine, as well as Jews in neighboring countries.