Earlier this month I traveled to Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland with a group of Federation executives to see firsthand the work our community makes possible through our partnership with JDC, The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, one of the leading Jewish humanitarian organizations. I am still reflecting on our time but wanted to share three things I learned:

There was a strong sense of optimism among the Ukrainians we met.

Although we only ventured as far as western Ukraine, which is quieter than other parts, the effects of the war were ever-present. We spoke with several families who had been uprooted several times in the last 15 years as the conflict has expanded, and others in the midst of rebuilding their lives.

And still, I was struck by how optimistic the community was about the future. Displaced or not, they had each other. The relationships they formed gave them a sense of purpose and a community to both sustain and rely upon.

The Jewish community in Georgia is an ancient Diaspora community, dating back 2,600 years to the Babylonian exile.

In Ukraine, I was inspired by people rebuilding Jewish life after displacement. In Georgia, I was equally inspired by a community that has preserved Jewish life for more than two millennia.

Though histories vary across countries, the story of Eastern European Jewry is one of extraordinary resilience alongside extraordinary tragedy. Through World War I, the Holocaust, decades of Soviet repression—when Jews were not allowed to practice openly—and countless other hurdles, these communities have had to swim against the current of history to hold onto their traditions, their identity, and one another. This has not been easy, and many Jewish communities in the region are much smaller than they once were. But there are signs of renewal, thanks to the efforts of young leaders on the ground, dedicated organizations like JDC, and communities like ours who care about investing in global Jewry.

JDC has been doing amazing work for a long time—thanks to partners like Federation.

I saw photos from 1919 of JDC feeding war refugees in Poland. And some from 1940 showing JDC workers providing basic goods and clothing to the Warsaw Ghetto (the organization even helped fund the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising). For over a century now the Jewish people have come together to care for the vulnerable, in response to and despite immense global challenges.

This work is still being done today while evolving to meet emerging needs. For instance, we visited one of JDC’s Hesed welfare centers in Ukraine, established after the fall of the Soviet Union to care for elderly and vulnerable Jews. There, we heard about how the local Jewish community is serving those in need while also expanding their mental health offerings, refugee services, early childhood programs, and more.

I am deeply grateful to all the JDC team members who welcomed us and to everyone who shared their stories. I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helps make the amazing work underway happen through their support of Federation.

We talk all the time about investing in Jewish life and making good on the belief that we are all responsible for one another. This trip allowed me to see this promise in action. My time confirmed that one of the Jewish people’s greatest strengths is our willingness to show up for each other—a tradition as vital today as it has ever been.

P.S. I only scratched the surface here. If you’d like to hear more about the remarkable people I met and see additional photos from the trip, I hope you’ll watch the recording of our webinar. And if these stories remind you, as they did me, of what’s possible when we show up for one another, I invite you to support Federation’s Annual Campaign. Your generosity helps make partnerships like this a reality.