Impact of Initial Jewish Federations’ Collective Allocations for Ukraine

The previous post described Jewish Federations’ investments before the Ukraine crisis and fundraising and allocations since the crisis began. This post details the collective impact of Jewish Federations’ emergency allocations.
 

A. Reviewing the Response by Impact Areas

Distributions of funds can be divided into four main impact areas:

  • Refugee Assistance/Humanitarian Relief and Resettlement
  • Aliyah and the Welcoming of Refugees to Israel 
  • Addressing Needs of Jews in in Other Countries of the Former Soviet Union Affected by the Conflict
  • Rebuilding Jewish life in Ukraine 

Currently, funding focuses on the first two categories.  It is anticipated that the third category may become a developing need and that rebuilding Jewish life in Ukraine will be a focus of a later stage.
 

  1. Refugee Assistance/Humanitarian Relief and Resettlement

This is the largest funding category, particularly in the current stage of emergency response.  It includes activities in Ukraine, surrounding countries, and North America.
 

Jewish Federations’ Collective Allocations by Type of Assistance:

 

Type of Assistance

Total

Emergency Operational Costs

$2,530,780

Temporary Housing Costs

$8,465,000

Humanitarian Support

$5,353,977

Transportation Costs

$2,496,700

Security

$610,000

Trauma Relief

$665,000

 

$20,121,457

*Note that these funds by Type of Assistance are from the over $25 million allocated collectively by Jewish Federation.  They do not include the over $23 million designated by individual Jewish Federations.
 


Organizations supported in this category fit into four subcategories: 

  1. Broad-Based Community Response Organizations

Broad-Based Community Response Organizations, with a long-term presence in Ukraine, responded quickly using their existing infrastructure while seeking to adapt and ramp up activities to meet a quickly growing and changing humanitarian disaster.  These organizations have also worked cooperatively with each other to ensure coordination.
 

Combined Data from Broad-Based Community Response Organizations

Special Hotlines – Calls Received

42,884 from Ukraine

67,949 from other countries

Evacuations (within Ukraine and to other countries)

80,556

 

Received Medicine/Medical Assistance

8,188

 

Food

174,771

 

Shelter

47,293

 


*Note that aggregation of data reported by multiple organizations may result in double counting.  In particular, organizations cooperating in an evacuation may each count the evacuee.  As a reference point, JDC estimates that 50,000 Jews have left Ukraine.
 

  • The Jewish Agency for Israel provides Ukrainian Jews with food, supplies, transport, and shelter to facilitate their safe passage by land out of Ukraine. It enables the rapid approval of Aliyah for those who choose to move to Israel and provides temporary housing until they are approved, at which point they are flown to Israel. The Jewish Agency hotline receives calls from Jews in the region and their family in Israel. The Jewish Agency is also helping increase security for dozens of local Jewish organizations in Ukraine and caring for Ukrainian young adults currently in Israel on programs.
  • The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s (JDC) Hesed system continues to support elderly Jews and other members of the Ukrainian Jewish community by providing food, medicine, and social support. JDC runs a hotline to field requests for support.  JDC arranges transport to safe locations, welcomes Jewish refugees at numerous border crossings, and houses and provides material and social support for thousands of displaced Jews within Ukraine and neighboring countries. JDC supports local Jewish organizations in Ukraine and provides technical support to the Ukrainian health system.
  • Chabad, through the extensive Chabad network of Shluchim (Rabbis and spouses of Rabbis) in the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS-FSU, provides food, medicine, and safe shelter to Jews remaining in Ukraine. Chabad also facilitates the safe passage of those who choose to leave their homes and arranges housing for them upon arrival in the neighboring countries.
  • JCC Krakow is assisting thousands of Ukrainian refugees through housing, providing day care, collecting and distributing humanitarian supplies and medicine in Poland and Ukraine, helping evacuate refugees and arranging transport onwards, and facilitating psychological support.
  • Jewish Community Vienna has set up an initial refugee reception center to provide temporary housing and other services. It is also providing longer term housing, food, financial assistance, and medical and psychological care for Jewish refugees.
  • Project Kesher leverages its decades of work in Ukraine to facilitate the evacuation of women and children and help them receive support in host communities. Project Kesher alumnae provide country-appropriate advice and micro-grants to the most vulnerable.
     

  1. Educational Institutions

The role of Educational Institutions quickly transformed from teaching students and conducting community activities as schools and Hillels closed.  One Hillel was destroyed early in the conflict.  The institutions – and their networks in surrounding countries – transitioned to assisting students, staff, and their families to evacuate or providing shelter. 

  • World ORT supports the staff, students, and families of its six Ukrainian schools who have remained in Ukraine, providing cash, food and medicines for those sheltering in place. ORT is also assisting refugees through ORT schools in surrounding countries.
  • Hillel International hosts and provides support to Ukrainian Hillel students and other Jewish refugees in Hillel Centers in the surrounding countries.
  • Shma Yisrael arranges transportation and safe housing away from the conflict for students of the three Ukrainian schools in the Shma Yisrael school system.
     
  1. Emergency Response Organizations


Emergency Response Organizations utilize their existing expertise and network of volunteers and practitioners to provide trauma relief and medical care and supplies to refugees.
 

Combined Data from Emergency Response Organizations

Hotline (calls received)

From Ukraine: 10,600

From outside Ukraine: 14,700

From Israel: 240,000

Medical Care

In Ukraine: approximately 12,377

In Poland and Moldova: 49,200

 

Psychological Care

In Ukraine: approximately 50,000

 

 

People served meals

In Ukraine: 6,000

In Moldova: 55,000

 

Humanitarian Aid (medical equipment, clothing, food, and hygiene products)

538 tons

 

 

 

  • The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s (JDC) emergency response efforts include transport of humanitarian aid, food, and medication, provision of telemedicine devices to the Israeli Field Hospital in Mostyska, Ukraine, and training of local healthcare practitioners in their use, and, in partnership with the Israeli volunteer organization NATAN, deployment of a team of Israeli medical professionals to manage a clinic near the Ukrainian border in Poland.  
  • The Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) uses its extensive global experience to train Jewish and non-Jewish personnel in Ukraine and the surrounding countries on how to assist those affected by the conflict, many of whom are suffering from severe psychological trauma. ITC is also providing direct care to Ukrainian olim and the families of Ukrainians living in Israel.
  • Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) is providing medical equipment to the Ukraine health system. It has also provided training and medical delegations to the Medical University of Lublin in dealing with mass casualties and trauma and providing medical services to refugees in humanitarian aid centers.
  • United Hatzalah provides emergency medical services and other relief to refugees as they cross out of Ukraine and into Moldova
  1. Advocacy and Immigration Support Organizations
  • HIAS works through its partner organization in Ukraine, Right to Protect, with a focus on serving the most vulnerable Ukrainian refugees, especially women, girls, the elderly, and families. It is providing training and technical support and cash assistance for accommodation, transportation, and the purchase of basic needs.  HIAS is also assisting Ukrainians in the United States.
     
  1. Aliyah and the Welcoming of Refugees to Israel


Jewish Federations’ Collective Allocations by Type of Assistance:

 

Type of Assistance

Total

Aliyah

$3,694,500

Absorption

$1,265,000

 

$4,959,500

 

Combined Data for Aliyah and the Welcoming of Refugees to Israel

Aliyah from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus

34,869 new Aliyah inquiries

18,080 made Aliyah

Specialized Aliyah Processing in Nefesh B’Nefesh Facility

1,500 Ukrainian olim

 

Ukrainian Lone Soldiers in Israel

417 Lone Soldiers

125 family members assisted

 

  • The Jewish Agency for Israel enables the rapid approval of Aliyah for those who choose to move to Israel and provides temporary housing until they receive approvals, at which point they are flown to Israel. 
  • Nefesh B’Nefesh provides a one-stop-shop facility on its campus to assist the government in processing Aliyah-eligible Ukrainians, supports Ukrainian Lone Soldiers in Israel, and assists their families who arrive in Israel.
  • Emergency Volunteer Project uses its fleet of mobile kitchens to deliver hot meals to Ukrainian refugees who are being hosted by Israeli families. Meals are prepared and delivered by Israeli and American volunteers.

The next posts will provide in-depth information about these organizations’ activities in response to the crisis in Ukraine.