The Social Justice Committee has been hard at work finding ways to support the people of Ukraine. We would like to update you on what we are doing and how you could help.
Temple Emanu-El Partnership with AURA
Temple Emanu-El has been assigned to help settle two Ukrainian Evacuee families through a JF&CS project called AURA (Atlanta Ukrainian Evacuee Relief Assistance). The initial stages of this project are under way and we have already welcomed one of the families after a traumatic journey (we are meeting the second family soon). To help with the load of the work, we have partnered on portions of the project with The Temple of Atlanta.
A little about the Shmidt family: Tolya and Elya are a young couple with 3 children (Tamila-age 1.5, Evelyn-age 6, and Vladlene -age 11). They fled Chernovtzy in April as the town's missile-alert sirens began to terrify the children. The kids' school was turned into a refugee center and closed for educational purposes. Tolya and Elya took a leap of faith and decided to come to the US. They received Temporary Protected Status from the US government. However, they are still waiting for work permits, which may take 9-10 months.
We are helping the Shmidt family in many ways, including school registration, English classes, and setting up their home (their house was generously donated for a year of use by a member of The Temple. Thank goodness for great partners!)
There are ways you can support this project:
- Purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist: Thank you so much for generously making purchases from this list. If it is empty, please check back soon as we will repopulate it with more items as the kids get ready for school.
- Make a donation to the Atlanta Ukrainian Relief Assistance (AURA)project: Many more families are expected to arrive in Atlanta.
Thank you for the volunteers who have stepped up to move furniture. We will follow up as soon as possible. As more families arrive in Atlanta in the coming months, we will be well-prepared to help them settle.
Temple Emanu-El Partnership with the JDC:
Please read about JDC's work and help us raise funds for their efforts on the ground: https://donate.jdc.org/temple emanuel
The war in Ukraine is a slow and awful grind. Most Ukrainian Jews have fled the country. However, many remain because of old age, mobility issues, or simply a commitment to support Ukraine in her time of need. Many Ukrainian Jews are taking refuge in neighboring countries without much clarity of what the next day will bring.
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is the leading Jewish humanitarian organization with a strong local presence in Ukraine and established infrastructure in Europe. The JDC dispatches support workers on the ground who know members of the Jewish community and keep track of everyone's needs. They are the lifeline to the Jews remaining in Ukraine, as well as those taking refuge across the borders.
The Social Justice Committee of Temple Emanu-El is committed to supporting the JDC in their crucial work. The JDC will keep paying attention to the well-being of Ukrainian Jews, even as the world gets distracted by other news.
Please consider making a contribution to the efforts of the JDC. Your donation will help them continue to:
- Provide essentials to the homebound elderly Jews unable to leave
- Offer services to the individuals suffering from trauma and isolation
- Staff a triage hotline that fields hundreds of daily calls and helps locate and support Jews in need
- Provide assistance and information on evacuation and immigration options
If you have questions about these two projects, please feel free to reach out to Marita Anderson or Karen Baron.
