Join us for Ukrainian Refugee Shabbat, an opportunity to both hear firsthand about the dire situation in Ukraine and come together to sponsor a generator for those without power since the Russian invasion began.

Please join us at Seudat Shlishit to hear from Kateryna Odarchenko, founder of the Ukrainian NGO "Institute for Democracy and Development PolitA", and over the course of the weekend, consider contributing to the fundraiser for this necessary equipment, supplied by Israeli NGO Lev Echad.

For more information about the weekend, Kateryna, or the fundraiser, please email chesed@kesher.org.

About Lev Echad (One Heart) and the Fundraiser:

Lev Echad is a community crisis aid and a nationwide volunteer organization founded in 2005 in Israel by the Ein Prat Leadership Academy to create an infrastructure that would enable volunteers to operate in a professional and organized manner in a state of emergency. 

The organization has sent over 25 groups of volunteers - including Kesher members Drs. Marilyn and Moshe Levi - to Ukraine and Poland since the Russian invasion began to assist the Ukrainians in establishing their own volunteer organization according to Lev Echad’s model, as well as to assist refugees at the border crossings and to provide them with a wide range of support, including providing hot meals and helping mothers take care of their children

Generators are desperately needed since the devastating attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure. Over this weekend, the Kesher community will come together to raise $2,200 for one large generator, capable of providing electricity and heat to a shelter of roughly 90 refugees. 

To donate, please visit: https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/91559/about

About Kateryna:

Kateryna (Hebrew name Golda) Odarchenko grew up in Kherson (southern Ukraine). Kateryna's father started a business there and after the Orange Revolution - a series of protests in Ukraine in the Winter of 2004/2005 - he was elected to Parliament. He opposed Russian influence  and has since been added to a sanction list by the Duma (Russian Parliament) and to their Kill List. As a result, Kateryna's family was forced to flee the country. 

Kateryna leads the think tank and NGO Institute for Democracy and Development "PolitA", which generates democracy development projects and research work in domestic and international affairs. She works as a political strategist and campaign manager for her firm SIC group.

Last year, here in DC, she volunteered for work in advocacy on the Hill for bills in support of Ukraine and aiding related charity initiatives. 

Other Opportunities: 

EDCJCC's Refugee Resettlement Team

The EDCJCC partners with Homes Not Borders, Lutheran Social Services, and SAMU to support refugees arriving in the DMV. One of the largest projects is fully furnishing and stocking the apartment of an incoming refugee family a few times a year. For the apartment set-ups, the Refugee Resettlement Team (RRT) sources all of the essentials a family needs upon arriving, whether through donating the items themselves, asking friends, family, and neighbors, or helping source through listservs. Volunteers are then recruited from the RRT to come out and set up the apartment in person.

To learn more or to sign up, click here. 

Donate Household Necessities to Luthern Social Services for Resettled Refugees

Lutheran Social Services is requesting much needed items to stock the new homes of recently resettled refugees in our area. Please see the below flyer for a list of needs. 

Donations can be dropped off at: 

If you are not able to make it to this location, please email chesed@kesher.org.