THE IMPACT BY ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IN UKRAINE
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| Three years ago today, the lives of Ukrainian Jews changed forever. Missiles, rockets and bombs descended on cities and towns across the country, causing death and destruction, panic and fear. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, millions of people were forced to flee their homes, leaving behind their belongings, their friends, their jobs, their lives. For three years, the Jews of Ukraine have endured endless attacks. They spend cold days and long nights in bomb shelters, they face extreme financial hardship, they are separated from loved ones, and they are afraid and anxious. Thousands of people lack sufficient food, warm clothing, and medical care. Parents are forced to choose between heat for their home and medicine for their children. It is a privilege to help men, women and children survive. We distribute aid and provide services in more than 250 cities and villages across the country. In Chernihiv, we support people like the Markov family, who used to live in the village of Semenivka near the Russian border. Shortly after the invasion, the father evacuated his wife and three children to safety, leaving everything behind. As they drove through shelling and rockets, the children were terrified, not understanding what was happening around them. Their trauma continues today, as their parents are away, serving their country. The children receive psychological counseling along with other aid from JRNU and the local community. |
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| We help the Misharin family, who moved to Chernihiv when their home was destroyed in the fighting. The daughter requires daily medical care and medication. Over the past few years, they have struggled to make ends meet, with escalating costs of food, heat and medicine. With only one parent able to work, the family could not survive without our support. |
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| We also help the Mironov family who returned to Chernihiv from Israel just before February 24, 2022. When the crisis began, they were desperate to flee to Western Ukraine, but without a car they were stuck. The father was briefly trapped in the synagogue as he was trying to arrange for his family to evacuate to safety. With prices for housing and food skyrocketing in the early days of the war, the family faced dire circumstances and was most grateful for support from JRNU and the local Jewish community. |
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| And we help Yulia Quick and her family. Yulia's mother has always been the head of the household, earning enough money from her wedding planning business to support the entire family. Living under martial law, business dropped off and the family’s finances were strained. With young children to worry about, Yulia and her husband worked hard to cover their basic expenses. The stress was too much and Yulia’s husband left; he provides no support for his children. Yulia continues to work hard, taking advantage of every opportunity so that she can support her children. She is grateful for the support from JRNU and the local community that has helped her and the children carry on during many challenging times. |
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| These families in Chernihiv are just a few examples of the people we help, thanks to the ongoing support of our donors. We hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict soon, so no more people are killed or injured, and so people can begin to rebuild their lives. We are in awe of the resilience and determination demonstrated by the Jews of Ukraine, and we will be with them every step of the way, through conflict and through peace. Better days are ahead, we hope they arrive sooner rather than later. |