JCC in Krakow Aids Refugees

LAZAR BERMAN/TIMES OF ISRAEL

Jonathan Ornstein, executive director of Krakow’s Jewish Community Center, has spent years working to rebuild Jewish life in a city that was an important Jewish center before the Holocaust.

Now he finds himself working tirelessly to assist the wave of Ukrainian refugees. As of mid-March, Poland has welcomed nearly 1.8 million refugees, about 140,000 in Krakow.

Neither the U.S.-born Ornstein nor his JCC members expected a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but once it began, the community sprang into action. The 750-member JCC, which hosts a preschool and programs for Holocaust survivors, was transformed overnight.

In weekly email updates to supporters, Ornstein said, “Our JCC team of staff and volunteers is entirely focused on helping those affected by the war, Jews and non-Jews, in Poland and Ukraine. Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends and supporters worldwide, we have been able to quickly and effectively take action and help people.”

Krakow’s JCC is functioning seven days a week, 14 hours a day as a collection and distribution point for food, medicine, hygienic supplies, toys and clothing. Between 300 and 500 Ukrainians a day come in to take whatever supplies they need. As of March 10, more than 2,000 Ukrainians refugees received supplies there. To increase its capacity, the JCC has hired 11 full-time staff members, including four Ukrainians.

“We have teamed with a local partner to design and equip a 2,500-square-foot safe space five minutes from the JCC, for mothers and children,” Ornstein said. “It will provide childcare as well as Polish and English classes for moms who will also have access to psychological assistance and job counseling.

“We have formed a coalition with four local NGOs and together are running an information point with Ukrainian speakers providing a full array of social services. A few dozen people live in the space at any time, and we are providing meals to them. We are also beginning to provide them with Ukrainian language legal and psychological counseling.”

The JCC has also partnered with a local NGO to transport loads of supplies to the border and into Ukraine and then on the return trip bring people out. As of mid-March, more than 3,000 people have escaped Ukraine that way.

“Among the many organizations across Poland taking action, the JCC is unique in that it can access the financial resources of American Jewish communities and institutions,” Ornstein said.

“We, as a Jewish institution, are very much guided by the idea of tikkun olam,” Ornstein said, referring to a Jewish concept meaning “repairing the world.”

“Poland has been amazing. The turnout in Poland to support Ukraine has been unbelievable,” he said.

LAZAR BERMAN/TIMES OF ISRAEL

Donate to the JCC Krakow’s efforts at www.friendsofjcckrakow.org/ukraine.

Times of Israel reporter Lazar Berman contributed to this report..