The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) issued a summary of their efforts in Ukraine on Wednesday, finding that the organization has resettled over 30,000 refugees in Israel, helped evacuate over 80,000 in danger zones and raised nearly $74 million in the first six months of the Ukraine-Russia war. That sum, it is estimated, will reach $99 million by the end of the year.
“Jewish Federations’ collective response to this crisis has been tremendous, demonstrated by the dozens of NGOs we have supported and the number of lives on the ground we have impacted,” said its president and CEO Eric Fingerhut.
“Jewish Federations’ collective response to this crisis has been tremendous, as is demonstrated by the dozens of NGOs we have supported and the number of lives on the ground we have impacted.”
JFNA president & CEO Eric Fingerhut
Funds raised by JFNA have been directed to over 50 organizations providing humanitarian aid and relief to refugees in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
Over 1,350 tons of medical equipment, clothing, food and hygiene products have been distributed, while 240,000 people have been fed and nearly 400,000 phone calls to hotlines have been answered as a result of the JFNA’s funds.
The massive scale of devastation in Ukraine
Jewish Federations also announced the appointment of Cleveland resident J. David Heller to chair the next phase of its emergency campaign for Ukraine aid. Heller will work to engage federations across the system in order to meet the ongoing needs on the ground amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“The scale of devastation is massive and though these needs will keep growing, our system will continue to respond to these needs, to alleviate pain and suffering and to provide essential care and support to Ukrainian refugees,” Fingerhut concluded.