Jewish Federations of North America reached a milestone in efforts to recruit both in-person and virtual volunteers to help Ukrainians.
On Tuesday, the group announced on the 1,000th day since Russia went to war with Ukraine in February 2022 that it had registered more than 1,000 volunteers.
“Jewish Federations were uniquely positioned after the war began to respond immediately and effectively because of our long presence in the region supporting our partners in Ukraine and neighboring countries,” stated Eric Fingerhut, JFNA’s president and CEO.
He added that “Federations have a duty to support Ukraine’s vibrant and active Jewish community, which has chosen to remain through the fighting to build on over 1,000 years of rich history.”
In the third year of the war, these efforts have expanded to meet a changing landscape of needs.
JFNA has collaborated with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC, or the Joint) and the Jewish Agency for Israel to create a “global volunteer hub” to identify volunteers’ needs and use vetted organizations that support refugees. JFNA reports that many volunteers have reenlisted multiple times following the completion of their initial service. Of those serving in 2024, some 80% are repeat volunteers.
Virtual volunteers can participate in a “Connect for Good: Chat with Ukraine” program that matches English speakers with young Ukrainians seeking to develop their language skills and engage in cross-cultural exchanges.
