UPDATE – March 3, 2022
Thank you to all who have given an outpouring of concern and interest in supporting Ukrainians.
Our partner HIAS has put up this site with helpful information and will continue to update it regularly.
We have not yet received any refugees from Ukraine for resettlement, but as families make their way through the complicated legal system and reach us, we are ready to welcome them to the Bay Area. If you would like to be involved, you can fill out our volunteer form. We will also put out calls for support and donations of goods and funds as a new wave of refugees arrives. In the meantime, we are currently assisting refugees still arriving from Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
We are continuing to serve our community members who are affected by the Ukraine crisis and to provide them with emotional and logistical support. Many JFCS East Bay clients have strong ties to Ukraine and family members who remain in direct danger. Read an interview in J. Weekly with Gennady Mikityansky, a social worker at JFCS East Bay with family in Ukraine and a history with President Zelenskyy.
February 25, 2022
As the Russian invasion crisis deepens, JFCS East Bay prepares to receive and aid refugees. The situation in Ukraine, like the current realities in Afghanistan, is poised to forcibly displace large numbers of Ukrainians on top of the approximately 1.6 million people who have already been displaced by recent conflicts in the region.
Locally, we will prepare for our role in potential resettlement needs created by this crisis, while continuing to serve additional Afghan families and other refugees currently resettling to the East Bay from a variety of countries. Our partner HIAS has released this statement on Ukraine outlining response activities and calling on the U.S. and allies to act in order to save lives and help those displaced.
The recent hostile acts of war directly impact our current clients. With over 100,000 Jews living in Ukraine today, Russia’s actions raise new fears and stir up past traumas for JFCS East Bay staff members and clients who have family there and/or who lived through prior Soviet era conflicts and World War II.
JFCS East Bay is here for our clients from the Former Soviet Union and more broadly, survivors of Europe’s past wars. Our compassionate Adult Services team members have sprung into action, checking in with our older adult clients and their families from the FSU to provide an array of support and services.
Unfortunately, it appears we may be at the beginning of an ongoing disruption to peace and security in the region. Our commitment to our clients and staff members with connections to the region, as well as to potential new arrivals, will be ongoing as well.
With wishes for peace,
Robin Mencher
Chief Executive Officer
Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay