What Can We Do For Ukraine?

Answer

Let’s go straight to Ukraine, and hear what Jewish leaders on the ground are asking us to do.

Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky, Sumy, Ukraine:

This is not an invasion that anyone can explain. It is coming with such force, it seems unstoppable, and makes no sense. Our response should be the same. We have to do mitzvahs that make no sense. If there is a mitzvah you know you should be doing, but you feel you aren't ready yet, invade that mitzvah. Do it. Put on Tefillin, put up a Mezuza, make your kitchen kosher, whatever it is that is stopping you, push through the barrier, do something crazy that even you can't explain. Do it for the Jewish community and the entire population of Ukraine. Senseless mitzvahs will break through and bring peace.

In my city there is a priest who told his congregation, "We are seeing miracles like what happened to the Israelites in the Bible. And that is because the descendants of those Israelites, the Jews around the world, are praying for us.”

Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, Zhitomir, Ukraine:

I am very familiar with internal battles, wars between the good and the evil inside myself. I am not used to the military type of battle. We have to wake up. We had bombs falling here for four hours non-stop. We are a small peaceful town. An entire country is being destroyed with utter cruelty. But we need to be happy. We are in the month of joy. Good will prevail. Moshiach will come.

And in the words of

the Rebbe:

In a time of conflict, we need to increase love. Each person should start their daily prayers with the words ‘I accept upon myself the mitzvah to "Love your fellow as yourself."

Rebbitzen Miriam Moskowitz Kharkov Ukraine was interviewed by an Israeli journalist. She showed him the refugees she is caring for in their synagogue, their kitchen that is cooking meals for the displaced, the mattresses that are being set up for those with no home to return to. After seeing all this, the journalist asked her, “What do you need from us?”

She answered:

We need your prayers. Pray that we should have peace, that we should be able to go back to our normal work helping the community. Pray that our biggest problem should be deciding the theme for our Purim party.

And her husband, Rabbi Moshe Moskowitz , added:

We have been interviewed on CNN, FoxNews, BBC and others, and our message is always the same: do goodness and kindness, learn Torah, pray and give Tzedaka. Only that will get rid of this darkness.

So there is a clear list of what we can do to help Ukraine: pray, have faith, be optimistic, increase in love of our fellow and invade our life with senseless mitzvahs.

But what these heroic leaders didn't ask for, and desperately need, is funds. We need to send money to Ukraine. We can

save lives.

Below are two reliable organisations that send every cent directly to those helping people on the ground.

UKRAINE JEWISH RELIEF FUND

CHAI FOUNDATION tax deductible donations for Australia

May we see peace and an end to all conflict. Let's do our bit to achieve that.