This April, the combined fundraising efforts of Stephen Wise Temple and Congregation B’nai Jeshurun of Short Hills, N.J., helped fund a plane of Ukrainian refugees from Moldova to Israel through United Hatzalah of Israel’s Operation Orange Wings. On Thursday night, another flight made possible by that campaign landed at Ben-Gurion Airport.
“Our community not only answered the call to help those in need this spring, but they went above and beyond,” said Stephen Wise Temple Senior Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback. “When we began this effort, we hoped we’d be able to fund one flight to bring refugees to safety. Now, we’ve funded two, plus multiple flights that have brought much-needed food and supplies to those still suffering in the wake of the Russian invasion.”
After Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February, Wise and CBJ partnered with United Hatzalah of Israel to help those displaced by the fighting. The independent, non-profit, volunteer emergency medical service organization provides fast and free emergency medical first response throughout Israel, to any patient, regardless of race, creed, or nationality. Through Operation Orange Wings, UH would send planes full of medical supplies and trained volunteer medics from Israel to field hospitals at the Ukraine-Moldova border. Those same planes would return full of up to 150 refugees seeking safety in Israel.
Wise and CBJ initially sought to raise $100,000 to fund one of those flights. Since the campaign began in March, the two congregations have raised over $280,000. Each dollar donated over the initial amount has been used to fund further planes full of medical supplies, equipment, and food (including a load that was kosher-for-Passover).
The plane that landed Thursday night—funded by Wise, CBJ, the Jewish Agency and the JDC— carried 84 refugees to Israel, including seven critically-ill patients.
“This is what tikkun olam is all about,” said Rabbi Yoshi. “This is what Wise stands for. We’ll never stop hoping that our efforts can make a difference.”
