Dear Friends,
At our Passover seders, Jews around the world gathered around holiday tables and shared universal expressions of hope and peace. We ate bitter herbs to recall the bitterness of slavery; we sang songs to inspire us to action; and as we continue to eat matzah this week, we remind ourselves of our obligations to the oppressed and downtrodden.
This year’s celebration of Passover unfolds against the backdrop of suffering. Russia’s attack on Ukraine is unconscionable, and the horrors befalling the Ukrainian people generate fear, anger, pain, and confusion across the globe. Most of us feel helpless. Most us long to help, but how?
Here are a few steps you can take to support the Ukrainian people.
Learn: Join us tonight for a special program featuring the governments of France, Poland and Ukraine. This event by the AJC’s Community of Conscience will be a conversation addressing the situation on the ground in Ukraine, the refugee crisis and the EU. The program is at HCRJ and begins at 7pm.
Act: The crisis in Ukraine has devastated the nation and its people. DAAR Charitable Foundation is among the many organizations providing humanitarian aid. This organization, which is run by an HCRJ family, has a 20-year history of charitable work in Ukraine. DAAR is actively sending shipments of medical supplies, medicines, water treatment devices, food and other badly needed items to the people of Ukraine. The focus of this charity is to provide aide directly to those Ukrainians remaining in the country. For information about DAAR and how to help contact: standwithukrainefund.org.
Love: Many of the Ukrainians we know and love have family members who remain in harm’s way. Extending love and prayers to those who are constantly living with fear and concern is a mitzvah. We may not be able to solve the issues at hand, but we can certainly extend our hands with love. Pick up the phone; send a text; and let a little love generate a lot a comfort this time of duress.
As these final days of Passover unfold, let us seek ways to actively live out the teaching from the Haggadah: “Until all are free, none are free.”
L’Shalom,
Steve