The Ukraine war is now in its third year. But while headlines about the conflict — and about Jewish communities caught in the middle — have become fewer and farther between, the need hasn’t disappeared. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the world’s largest Jewish relief organization, is still on the ground every day making sure Ukraine’s most vulnerable Jews aren’t forgotten. This weekend, St. Louisans will get a front-row seat to hear how that work continues — and how St. Louis has been part of that story since the very beginning.

Why St. Louis’ historic ties to JDC’s Jewish relief efforts still matter

If the name JDC sounds familiar, it may be because St. Louis played a key role in its founding more than 100 years ago. In 1914, when American Jews organized to send aid to starving Jewish families in Jerusalem, one of the driving forces was a St. Louis family — the Shoenbergs. And in the years that followed, St. Louisans like Mel Dubinsky worked on the front lines of JDC efforts, running displaced persons camps in Europe after World War II and helping Holocaust survivors rebuild their lives.

Today, that connection mostly continues through financial support from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. But Charles Lowenhaupt, a longtime JDC board member and past president of Temple Emanuel, hopes this visit will help rekindle a deeper local connection.

“Every time St. Louisans hear what JDC is doing, they’re amazed,” he said. “They want to know more. This visit is a reminder that we’re part of a global Jewish family — and that family still needs us.”

How JDC’s Jewish relief work supports Ukraine’s Jewish community

On Friday, April 4, St. Louisans will get to hear firsthand how the JDC’s work continues in places like Ukraine, Argentina and Israel — and why it still matters. Annie Sandler, president of the JDC, will speak at Temple Emanuel during Shabbat services. Her talk, “From Argentina to Ukraine: Updates on World Jewry,” starts at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.

Joining her will be Eliza C. Prince, JDC’s director of global strategic partnerships. Prince just returned from Ukraine and will speak during the oneg after services, sharing stories from her trip.

For those who don’t follow global Jewish relief work closely, it’s easy to assume the crisis has passed. But the need is still urgent.

In Ukraine, JDC is providing daily support to tens of thousands of Jews who are elderly, displaced or living in poverty — people who have endured years of blackouts, inflation and bombings. Through a network of Jewish community centers and social service agencies, JDC continues to deliver homecare, trauma support, winter supplies and employment assistance to help people move forward.

What St. Louis saw at the border

Greg Yawitz remembers exactly what it looked like.

In early 2022, as war broke out in Ukraine, Yawitz — then board chair of Federation — traveled to the Poland-Ukraine border to help deliver donations and show support. What he saw was unforgettable.

“There were women and children carrying one suitcase — that’s all they had,” Yawitz said. “They had no food, nowhere to go, no place to live. And JDC was already there, waiting for them.”

Working with local partners, the JDC had rented hotels, set up intake centers and organized logistics at the border. They helped refugees find shelter, food, medical care and even toys and clothes for their children. If a family wanted to make aliyah to Israel, JDC worked closely with the Jewish Agency to make it happen.

“They were the ones running the operation,” said Yawitz. “They were on the ground — helping people get from Ukraine to safety, getting them into hotels, helping process clothing and supplies we brought from St. Louis. They weren’t just helping strangers. They were welcoming people like family.”

Beyond Ukraine

The JDC is also helping Israelis rebuild their lives after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, providing food, social services and emergency support.

For Sandler, this work isn’t just professional — it’s deeply personal. She’s spent years traveling to Jewish communities across Romania, India, Haiti and the former Soviet Union, listening to people’s stories and learning what they need.

“Seeing an injustice or a need I am able to address compels me,” Sandler writes on her website. “I can’t look away. I must do what I can.”

That’s what brought her to St. Louis this week — to share how the JDC’s work continues, three years into the Ukraine war and in struggling Jewish communities everywhere.

“This isn’t just about charity,” she wrote. “It’s about dignity. It’s about relationships. It’s about showing up for each other when the world feels like it’s falling apart.”

“From Argentina to Ukraine: Updates on World Jewry”

What: Annie Sandler, president of the JDC, with remarks from Eliza C. Prince, JDC’s director of global strategic partnerships.
When: Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m.
Where: Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Road, Creve Coeur
Details: The event is free and open to the public