March 2, 2022
We are all impacted by the news of what’s happening in the world, in Kyiv and surrounding areas. Our brothers and sisters are at war. When innocents are invaded, we feel it. When bombs are dropped, we feel it. When families flee their homes and seek refuge, we feel it.
Sometimes, during world crises such as these, words elude us. What can we say? It’s too much. It’s unspeakable. And so we act. With prayer. With activism.
We send prayers for peace to Ukraine and Russia. We send prayers for peace to every corner of the world where war and conflict separates us. And we unite our hearts with our Jewish family, the 200,000 Jews in Ukraine.
And the Jewish community responds with organized efforts to directly and positively impact the situation. I share here a recent communication from our local Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region.
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Dear Friends,
Our national network, the Jewish Federations of North America, is working to provide emergency assistance through JFNA's partner agency, the Joint Distribution Committee. Plans are already in place to support the roughly 200,000 Jews impacted by this crisis. The immediate needs include:
Helping people make Aliyah to Israel
Securing the local community and its institutions
Maintaining critical welfare services
Assisting internally displaced people in multiple locations
Launching an emergency hotline
Securing temporary housing for people in transit
Purchasing satellite phones to maintain communications across the region
Securing five Jewish schools and training staff to manage crisis needs
You can support JFNA's efforts directly by clicking here.
Below please find a statement from the Sacramento Board of Rabbis on the situation in Ukraine.
The Sacramento Board of Rabbis strongly condemns the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and extends its fervent prayers for the safety and well being of the citizens of Ukraine. The people of Ukraine have had a long and difficult history that has often brought extreme hardship. In recent years Ukraine has made progress in addressing antisemitism and the previous presence of tyranny. In particular it has strengthened its democratic functions and had made significant improvements in the post Soviet era. We support Ukraine's assertion of its sovereignty. We applaud the actions of the US and other governments in efforts to assist Ukraine.
Rabbi Matt Friedman, President
Sacramento Board of Rabbis
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