Ukrainian Jews:
A Rich Legacy

In the face of this ongoing conflict, JDC has continued uninterrupted its life-saving care for tens of thousands of Ukraine’s most vulnerable Jews. This critical work means leveraging JDC’s century-plus experience of crisis response, providing aid to those Jews in remaining in Ukraine, those looking to evacuate, and the thousands of refugees that now span across Europe and other countries.

This response includes — but is not limited to —providing the most vulnerable Jews with food, medicine, and life-saving supplies for winter; addressing the needs of Ukraine’s “new poor,” resulting from skyrocketing inflation and diminished employment opportunities; powering Jewish life through continued programming and volunteer work; and so much more. Looking ahead, JDC will continue to be there, ensuring that Ukraine’s Jews are supported in their time of great need.

Care for vulnerable and elderly Jews is a cornerstone of JDC’s work in Ukraine. Through its nationwide network of 18 JDC-supported Hesed social welfare centers, JDC provides life-saving assistance, like food, medicine, and homecare to approximately 31,600 Jewish elderly in Ukraine (including 6,700 Holocaust survivors whose care is supported by Claims Conference funding), as well as access to Jewish community life. JDC also cares for approximately 4,100 Jewish children at-risk and their families in Ukraine through the Children’s Initiative, which provides programs for children with disabilities, connection to Jewish communal life, and holistic assistance to struggling families.

Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, and throughout the ongoing Ukraine crisis, already vulnerable, elderly Jews have been increasingly isolated and cut off from their communities. That’s why JDC launched JOINTECH — an initiative that, among other things, distributes specially designed smartphones to the former Soviet Union (FSU)’s most vulnerable elderly Jews. These devices enable them to connect with family, friends, and their larger Jewish community, especially when inperson gatherings are not possible. JOINTECH in the FSU is powered by funding from the Claims Conference, JDC Board Member Marshall Weinberg, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, and UJAFederation of New York.