Bay Area Jewish Community Donates $2.4 Million in Days to Provide Vital Support to Ukrainian Jews

The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund (the Federation) announced today that it has mobilized over $2.4 million in funds from the Bay Area Jewish community to assist with the crisis in Ukraine. This is part of a broader fundraising effort led by The Jewish Federations of North America, resulting in $24.5 million raised and allocated by the entire federation system.

The $2.4 million includes:

• Over $1.5 million to the Federation’s Ukraine Emergency Fund from over 950 donors, 4 supporting foundations and a private foundation.
• Over $900,000 in grant recommendations from 118 donor-advised fundholders to organizations providing Ukraine relief such as JDC, HIAS, IsraAid, the International Rescue Committee, and others

A 7 year-old girl was one of the earliest donors, giving $9, the sum of her savings from her allowance. The largest single donation was $500,000 from the Alexander M. and June L. Maisin Foundation.

“The response from our Bay Area Jewish community has been extraordinary,” said Joy Sisisky, Interim CEO and Chief Philanthropy Officer of the Federation. “Donors are giving out of concern for their loved ones, to honor parents and grandparents, and in tribute of their roots. We are a global Jewish community, and the show of strength and solidarity from the Bay Area for the Ukrainian Jewish community is astounding. Our communal response has allowed us to put significant funds to work immediately.”

There are approximately 200,000 Jews in Ukraine, many of whom are poor, elderly, or at-risk children and families. Ukraine’s Jewish community includes close to 300 Jewish organizations dispersed over some 100 towns and cities.

Funds raised through the Federation’s Ukraine Emergency Fund will support the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the Federation’s longstanding global partner and largest grantee. JDC is helping thousands of refugees receive essential food, housing, and medicine, along with coordinating transportation and accommodations in Western Ukraine and across Europe. They receive 1,000 calls daily on their hotlines with requests for food, medicine, and evacuation support.

Joy Sisisky and Federation Board Chair Arthur Slepian are on a mission to Poland this week with the Jewish Federations of North America. They and other large city Federations are offering support to refugees in Warsaw, and traveling to the border to bear witness and welcome refugees on their long journey.

“For more than one hundred years, our Federation has been hard at work, day after day, year after year, in times of crisis and calm, to build flourishing Jewish communities,” said Slepian. “And when an emergency erupts, we are positioned to meet the challenges of Jewish people and communities around the world.”

Visit jewishfed.org to learn more about the Federation’s response and to give to the Ukraine Emergency Fund.

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The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund mobilizes innovation, collaboration, and investment to shape diverse and dynamic Bay Area Jewish communities where people find a meaningful connection to Judaism and each other; and where we work together to better lives and communities locally, in Israel, and around the world. Learn more at jewishfed.org.