Chabad of Poland has joined forces with Mosaic United to host summer programming for more than 200 Jewish Ukrainians.
Mosaic United is a global nonprofit that funds programs that strengthen the connection of young Jews to their Jewish identities and Israel, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism.
Since the start of the Russian incursion into Ukraine, Chabad of Poland based in Warsaw has opened its doors to Ukraine’s Jewish community offering refuge, transportation, kosher food, medical aid, financial and material assistance, childcare, educational and social services, communal activities, and administrative and legal aid to tens of thousands displaced by the conflict.
“Growing up we’d always look to the summer for an opportunity to leave the monotony of the rest of the year behind for an opportunity to play sports, have fun, and build everlasting friendships,” said Chabad of Poland Director Rabbi Sholom Ber Stambler. “For our children, the summer is a unique time where we are able to provide informal education focused on Jewish identity, heritage, values, and customs in a more holistic and dynamic way.”
Both Mosaic and Chabad have committed to either directly funding or fundraising for a portion of the programming costs, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since the start of the war, Chabad in Poland has seen its expenses rise by more than US$2 million.
“We’re extremely thankful to our partners – Mosaic United as well as Minister Amichai Chikli and his team – for supporting our summer program for Ukrainian Jewish refugees,” said Chabad of Poland Co-Director Rabbi Mayer Stambler. “Our hope is that our program will provide these children with some semblance of normalcy and emotional solace this summer, in a fun and inspiring setting.
“We’re extremely thankful to Tzvi Sperber and his incredible team at JRoots for helping to facilitate the funding for this program,” he added.