Hillel International Launches Emergency Relief Fund to Support Jewish Students, Professionals Impacted by Crisis in Ukraine
WASHINGTON – As the war in Ukraine rages into its second week, Hillel International is launching an Emergency Relief Fund to support the urgent needs of Hillel professionals and students in the impacted region, as well as Hillel’s humanitarian work supporting Ukrainian refugees.
Funds raised will be used to support immediate, short-term, and long-term needs, including:
- Critical supplies for Hillels in Germany and Poland to provide food, water and medicine for Jewish refugees between the ages of 18-36, as well as mental health support and counseling
- Emergency assistance to support Hillel professionals and their families who have been displaced or left without homes
- Converting Hillel spaces in these communities into temporary housing, including bathrooms, showers, blankets, pillows and mattresses for Jewish students and young adults displaced by the conflict
- Continued operations and security upgrades for Hillels across Europe so that they can continue to support students while meeting the urgent needs of refugees
Hillel has been transforming the lives of Jewish college students in Ukraine and in Eastern and Central Europe for more than 25 years, empowering a generation of young adults along their Jewish journeys. Hillel serves students in five cities in Ukraine and a total of 15,000 students at 24 Hillels across the region, in countries like France, Poland, Germany, Moldova, and Georgia.
Adam Lehman, Hillel International President and CEO, said, “Right now, Jews in Ukraine are in crisis, including Jewish students and the Hillel professionals who care for, mentor and support them. Hillel’s immediate goal is ensuring the safety of Hillel professionals and their families throughout the region, as well as supporting the Hillels themselves as a critical resource for students and young adults. The Hillel International Emergency Relief Fund will provide essential funds to the impacted Hillels and ensure that Hillel professionals across the region will be there to help our students, their families and the broader Jewish community for years to come.”
The Hillel International Emergency Relief Fund will work hand-in-hand with trusted, highly skilled relief organizations on the ground, including the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Jewish Agency for Israel, and Jewish Federations of North America to ensure the critical, lifesaving needs of the entire Jewish community are met.
“In times like these, we live the Jewish value of Kol Yisrael Arevim Ze La Zeh — all Jews are responsible for one another. I am so proud of the way our Hillel community around the world — professionals, students, and supporters — is mobilizing and coming together to meet this urgent need,” Lehman said.
Donations to the Hillel International Emergency Relief Fund can be made at donate.hillel.org/EmergencyRelief.