The Jerusalem Post Group presented a special award to the Jewish Federations of North America at the Jerusalem Post London Conference on Thursday. The award was presented to the JFNA “for their leadership mobilizing the global Jewish response on behalf of Ukraine, from supporting refugee relief and resettlement to the fulfillment of the Zionist idea of aliyah.”
The Jewish Federations of North America have been providing aid to Jewish organizations in Europe for many years to ensure that they would be ready to act in times of crisis. Since the fighting began, JFNA have raised $40 million for Ukrainian relief efforts, providing aid and assistance. The Federations have been providing support to tens of thousands of homebound elderly, delivering humanitarian supplies, medicines and ensuring regular contact.
In addition, the organization has provided phone hotlines to coordinate the movement of refugees, beds and temporary housing in Ukraine, and food and other emergency supplies for their journey to neighboring countries. The JFNA has been supporting efforts to bring thousands of eligible refugees to Israel and facilitate their absorption as quickly as possible.
Accepting the award from the Jerusalem Post Group on behalf of the organization, JFNA president and CEO Eric Fingerhut said, “Jewish Federations have a clear strategy for saving Jews around the world. The skill and expertise we have been witnessing in the relief efforts in Ukraine and in the bordering countries is the result of years of our experience, training, relationship building and fundraising. The impact of the refugee crisis and the devastation is going to be with us for a long time, and Jewish Federations are committed to providing support and advocacy from the frontlines long after the headlines go away.”
