Helping Jews around the World

Jewish Federations overseas have continued to partner with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) since the COVID- 19 outbreak. They have been working around the clock to serve a growing number of Jews affected by COVID-19 worldwide. Hundreds of JDC essential workers are delivering life-saving aid to vulnerable Jews whose needs are more urgent due to this crisis. This includes supplemental emergency medicine, medical care, and food for those poor elderly and children who can no longer get it themselves. Efforts include supplying personal hygiene gear, private transportation and communications equipment to reach clients in remote locations. They are also working to ensure the health safety of staff and clients, and deliver food and medicine amid restrictions to public services.

UKRAINE: In Dnepro, the Jewish community prepared more than 200 food packages and hygiene products for vulnerable elderly.

RUSSIA: More than 1,000 elderly people were contacted from a call center to provide them with moral support and identify risk groups.

KAZAKHSTAN: In Karaganda, community members sent photos of lit candles and their family stories to a “Candle of Memory” WhatsApp group in observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

ETHIOPIA: As the virus has begun to spread, we know that now is the time to take action and slow this deadly virus in the heart of Africa. We work with healthcare professionals to establish handwashing and hand sanitizer stations in areas with limited or no access to clean water and soap.

For more info on JDC’s efforts, visit jdc.org/coronavirusupdates.