By Koen Carlier and Anemone Rüger
The economic situation in Ukraine deteriorated rapidly from the very beginning of the first war in 2014. Requests for practical assistance from Jewish communities to their members in need became increasingly frequent. A state-run social safety net exists only in rudimentary form in the successor states of the former Soviet Union.
Those who lose their jobs or their ability to work, are single parents, have a disabled child to care for at home, or reach retirement age, generally have to struggle for daily survival. This is how the idea for our food bags was born, thousands of which have been reaching Jewish communities every year for many years.
Every month, our team spends a weekend in Ukraine at the warehouse of a partner Baptist church. The church not only provides its facilities but also many helping hands. Some of the volunteers themselves fled from the east of the country a few years ago.
Once the Metro truck has delivered its multi-ton load and the pallets are neatly stacked, the work can begin. A group of volunteers positions themselves at the pasta, oatmeal, and canned goods stations; then the "runners" each grab a bag and proceed through the food stations until the bag is full. At the next station, the bags are packed, stacked, and later loaded into vehicles for transport to the communities. One to two thousand bags can be packed this way each day. The need increases with each month of the war.
Food aid to the hotspots
“We have never received as many requests as in the last few months,” says Koen, who is managing the work on the ground. “We are delivering large loads of food parcels to where they are most urgently needed. After the devastating dam collapse, this is primarily Kherson on the Black Sea. But also Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odessa – the Jewish communities there have taken in many refugees from other regions who are now without income.”
A truck has just returned from Odessa after delivering 1,300 food parcels to the synagogue. "It is especially important right now that we help our Jewish friends there," said Koen. "So far, Odessa has been more or less spared, but now the city is being shelled almost daily with rockets and drones; there are numerous casualties and severe damage in the city center.".
They rallied together in times of need
“You have always helped us,” says Tanja, a Jewish manager. “But since the war began, your help has become vital for us! Prices have skyrocketed: for food, energy, medicine. You have become so dear to us during this difficult time; we have grown much closer. Being able to help those in need together, so they at least have something to eat – that means so much to us! And when they then take an Israeli chocolate bar out of the bag along with the basic foodstuffs – that's simply touching!”
Valentina Yakovlevna in Odessa receives her bag of groceries at home. "I live alone; I have no one left," says Valentina. "I haven't been able to leave my apartment for a long time. I am so incredibly grateful for the food! Not only can I eat my fill – the most important thing for me is that someone is thinking of me!"
Each bag features our blue CSI logo alongside a verse from the Psalms: “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:4)
Will you help us provide food to needy Jewish families in Ukraine? One package costs €15. Every donation helps! (Donation purpose: SOS Ukraine)
