Jewish Relief Network Ukraine

Passover:Passover is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish religion; observing Passover is of critical importance to nearly every Jew. Because the holiday emphasizes liberation and freedom (exodus from bondage) the observance is especially important to the spiritual well-being of those living through a war, fighting for their freedom. The observance of Passover requires a lot of very specific food items, both for the ceremonial meal and the duration of the 8 day holiday. Seders:To facilitate the Passover observance, Seder kits were delivered to 20,000 families across Ukraine, containing everything needed to carry out the ceremonial meal and other aspects of the holiday. In addition, 114 communal Seders were held in cities across the country for 15,000 people. Additionally, 20,000 packages of Passover food were distributed to households, supplying sufficient kosher food for the entire 8 days. Each package contained meat, vegetables, fruit, Matzah, wine, grape juice, olive oil, tea, coffee and much more.In total, we provided 61 tons of Matzah to the people of Ukraine for the Passover holiday.

Winter:The harsh winter in Ukraine was a grave concern, as millions of people lacked sufficient means to pay to heat their homes and also purchase food. Periodic power outages created dangerous situations, particularly for the old and infirm. The 150 industrial generators we purchased two years ago were often used to power schools, community centers and other communal buildings where people gathered for warmth and to power their communication devices.