JDC (The Joint)

An October 7th reflection from JDC CEO Ariel Zwang: "It’s difficult to believe that a year has passed since October 7th, 2023 — that terrible day when, like so many American Jews, I woke up to shocking news from Israel, a cascading horror that has echoed through every day that’s followed. As I reflect on this profoundly challenging year, so painful and so unmooring, I find myself more grateful than ever to work at JDC. Together with our supporters and powered by the professionalism and dedication of hundreds of my fellow Jointniks in Israel and around the world, we have made a profound impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people in our extended human family — evacuees, people with disabilities, communities on the margins, and so many more. In response to the ongoing war, JDC has already aided more than 450,000 of the hardest-hit Israelis, and we are continuing to address the spiking emergency needs of millions of others who never required assistance before and may now be forced to rely on the unique interventions we’re putting into place all across the country. I’ve been privileged to spend significant time in Israel this past year, from my first trip just days after October 7th to my weeks spent working from our Jerusalem campus this summer. As I’ve met Israelis — both my brave colleagues and the people we are so proud to serve — I’ve been struck by their clarity of purpose. There’s work to do, they seem to tell me in one clear voice — and the only thing to do is keep going. Israel is a country transformed by trauma, shaken by grief, and anxious about what tomorrow will bring — but it is not cowering and it is not paralyzed. JDC’s work reminds me that though we may be battered, we are not broken. The road ahead is long, and it will require our creativity and commitment. We need to bring our hostages home and rebuild shattered Israeli communities in the North and South. Around the world, we must strengthen global Jewish communities navigating a frightening increase in antisemitism. But I’m a firm believer that the only way out is through, and this year has proven that the only way through is together. I pray for more peaceful days ahead, and I look forward to continuing to share stories of inspiration and impact."

A year after October 7th, our hearts are broken, but our commitment to supporting the most vulnerable Israelis has only grown stronger.

This Rosh Hashanah, Mikhail Kalamkarov — an elderly Jew in Tbilisi, Georgia, served by JDC — emphasizes the importance of Jews standing together and supporting one another in times of need. “I wouldn’t make it without JDC,” Mikhail said. “Who would help me?”

Growing up in the Soviet Union, Raisa Moghilner sought out knowledge about her Jewish heritage and traditions. And when the Soviet Union collapsed, her parents got sick, and she lost her savings overnight, Raisa found one place she could turn for help — the JDC-supported Hesed Yehuda social welfare center in the Moldovan capital, Chișinău. There, she discovered not only life-saving support, but the Jewish life and traditions she’d been seeking since childhood. This Rosh Hashanah, Raisa reflects on the journey that brought her to Hesed Yehuda and the sweetness JDC brings to her life today for our latest JDC Voices Blog post. Read the full reflection: https://bit.ly/3zWChf0

In this new year, we remain committed to supporting all Israelis, just as we have for more than 100 years.

Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the past and embrace the possibilities of the future. For all of us at JDC, that means we must acknowledge what a profoundly difficult year it's been — marked by the renewed tension and uncertainty in Israel, the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, and rising antisemitism — while also working to build a brighter, sweeter future for the world's most vulnerable Jews. As we help write a more hopeful chapter in the lives of Jews everywhere, we are enormously grateful to count you as a member of our team in this sacred effort. Shanah Tovah!

“We cannot successfully prepare ourselves for the High Holiday season without first removing our barriers.” As you experience Elul and engage in heshbon nefesh, the profound soul-searching that the holidays ask us to do, you will likely be asking yourself the question of what from the last year you wish to bring with you and what you wish to leave behind. When you venture into these days, we offer some reflections to accompany you on your journey: participants and staff from the Weitzman-JDC Fellowship have authored pieces that place their global Jewish experiences into conversation with the themes of Elul and the High Holidays. We hope that their words can provide you meaningful moments for reflection as the New Year approaches and you consider what might be next in your global Jewish journey. See the full Rosh Hashanah supplement from JDC Entwine here: https://bit.ly/4eQoc1L

“I find myself unable to sink into the preparation that Elul demands of us because in so many ways, the holiday season of 5784 never ended. It just stopped on October 7th, refusing to move forward. And yet here we are, almost at 5785.” In these difficult times, how can you make the greatest difference? According to JDC Director of Board Relations Sarah Allen, sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Read her full Elul reflection on our JDC Voices Blog: https://bit.ly/4eoGK9j

Celebrate #InternationalMusicDay with Rosh Hashanah songs and prayers performed by the Sheyne Meydelakh Jewish choir at the JDC-supported Hesed Arieh social welfare center in Lviv, Ukraine.

As Israel endures another attack, JDC stands once again with the people of Israel and is working tirelessly to ensure that the most vulnerable Israelis receive critical support. In preparation for events like this, we have set up a dedicated Humanitarian Situation Room team, placed JDC-trained and funded emergency response coordinators in high-risk locations, distributed 30,000 emergency kits to the elderly, people with disabilities, and at-risk families, and delivered nearly 366,000 pieces of emergency medical and hospital equipment and first aid supplies to local and volunteer medical units, hospitals, municipalities, and first responder groups across Israel. At traumatic times such as this, the JDC-developed mental health portal, Nafshi, offers vetted, on-demand mental health resources to countless members of the Israeli public. As we enter Rosh Hashanah tomorrow night, we sincerely pray for peaceful days in the new year to come. Learn more about our full on-the-ground response to emergency needs in Israel: https://bit.ly/3Y6rfxa