Representatives from Agudath Israel of America held a high-level emergency meeting with officials from numerous European countries to discuss and streamline ongoing extensive efforts by the Agudah and other organizations to assist refugees and Ukrainians still stranded as war rages around them.

The meeting, held in the offices of the Slovakian mission to the United Nations in New York, included government officials from Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, with a wide range of subjects discussed.

Included in the talks was a discussion about transporting supplies – including food, religious articles, and numerous other needs – to Ukrainians, and a request to ensure that the packages are not held up by customs officials and are given priority entry through the border.

Additionally, the officials from the participating organizations and the government officials discussed placing a request with the United Nations to allocate some of the millions of dollars in food relief being given by the UN to Ukrainians towards kosher food.

Agudah representatives noted how appreciative they are of the efforts and the warmth given to Ukrainian refugees – Jew and non-Jew alike – and for continuing to provide relief and comfort to the millions affected by the war.

The officials from each country, in turn, thanked the Agudah for their extensive efforts to assist everyone living under the hardships of war, and for their proactiveness and sensitivity towards the plight of Ukraine and its people.

Representatives of the Jewish organizations participating in the meeting included: Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel and Mr. Sol Werdiger of Agudah; David Niederman and Sam Stern of the UJO; Chanina Sperlin of the Crown Heights JCC/Chabad; Rabbi Mosher Hauer and Rabbi Simon Taylor of the OU; Josh Kramer of the American Jewish Committee; Stephanie Hausner of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; Cheryl Fishbein of the JCRC; Akri Cipa of the AJC; and Moshe Indig, Yaakov Flitchkin and Yoel Lefkowitz.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)