Former MP moves to Ukraine to support children living in a war zone
Brooks Newmark to increase his humanitarian work, focusing on supporting kids with PTSD and says his Jewish heritage compels him to take action
Brooks Newmark isn’t just donating to Ukraine’s war effort – he’s packing up his life and moving to the front lines. The former Conservative MP for Braintree will relocate to Kyiv next month to expand his charity’s work, helping children scarred by three years of war.
His charity, Angels for Ukraine, which has helped evacuate more than 35,000 civilians since Russia’s invasion, is now shifting its focus to supporting children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Newmark, who has spent the past three years travelling frequently to Ukraine, said his decision to relocate was driven by a belief that direct action is more meaningful than offering support from a distance.
“Things happen when I’m there,” he told Jewish News. “I’m not someone who just writes cheques. I want to be on the ground, making a difference.”
For Newmark, the war in Ukraine is not just a humanitarian crisis but a personal calling shaped by his Jewish heritage.
“I grew up on stories about Oskar Schindler and Sir Nicholas Winton, two figures who risked everything to save Jews,” he said. “One of Ukraine’s chief rabbis once called me a modern-day Schindler, which was incredibly flattering, but I told him it’s actually the opposite. I’m a Jew helping gentiles who need support.”
Newmark acknowledges Ukraine’s complex history with its Jewish community, noting that 25 percent of the Jews murdered in the Holocaust were Ukrainian-Jews and some Ukrainians played a role in betraying Jewish communities. “But that was generations ago. Right now, there are people suffering, and as a Jew, I feel a compulsion to help,” he said.
Since working in Ukraine, Newmark has developed strong ties with the country’s Jewish community, particularly Rabbi Moshe Azman of Kyiv. It was through these relationships that he found himself reconnecting with his Jewish identity.
“I wasn’t particularly religious before, more culturally Jewish,” he said. “But Rabbi Azman pulled me into a synagogue, made me read the prayers, and made me reconnect with Judaism in a way I never expected.”
While many Ukrainian Jews fled at the start of the war, those who remained have been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts. “The Jewish community in Ukraine isn’t just looking after itself,” Newmark said. “They’re doing incredible work for the broader population, and that has built a lot of goodwill between Jews and non-Jews.”
He also noted how the war had prompted a greater recognition of Jewish contributions to Ukraine, particularly with President Volodymyr Zelensky, himself Jewish, leading the country’s resistance against Russia.
Newmark’s decision to relocate to Kyiv follows the completion of his doctorate at Oxford, where he has been studying education reform in Rwanda. His experience working in post-conflict societies has influenced his latest initiative: a nationwide PTSD training programme for Ukrainian teachers and school staff.
The programme, developed in collaboration with Ukraine’s Department of Education, was originally based on an Israeli model designed to support children living under constant rocket fire.
“We first worked with an Israeli charity near Sderot, which has years of experience helping children cope with the trauma of missile attacks from Gaza,” he explained. “We’ve adapted that model for Ukraine.”
The goal is to train at least one adult in every school across Ukraine to provide psychological support to children experiencing PTSD.
“With nightly missile and drone attacks, children are constantly being woken by sirens,” Newmark said. “Over time, that takes a huge toll. Our programme is designed to help them cope.”
His move comes at a time of increased uncertainty for Ukraine, with ongoing Russian attacks and the potential threat of reduced Western aid under Donald Trump’s presidency.
Newmark warned that a shift in U.S. policy could leave Ukraine permanently weakened.
“Trump is more interested in striking a deal than holding Putin accountable,” he said. “Ukraine risks losing 20 per cent of its country with no consequences for Russia’s war crimes.”
Newmark, who previously co-founded an education charity in Rwanda, said that his work in Ukraine is not dependent on how long the war continues.
“Whether the war ends tomorrow or lasts another five years, these children will still need help,” he said. “That’s why I’m going.”
While he remains focused on expanding Angels for Ukraine, his long-term vision may also include supporting education efforts in Ukraine, similar to his work in Rwanda.
“I see so much that needs to be done, and I want to do more,” he said. “I feel very fortunate that I have the freedom and resources to dedicate myself to this work.”
For now, he hopes others will continue to support Ukraine through charities like Angels for Ukraine and World Jewish Relief, which have been heavily involved in aid efforts.
“As Oskar Schindler said, ‘If you save one life, you save the world,’” Newmark said. “That’s what motivates me. I don’t know how many lives I’ve saved, but I know that I’ve helped, and that’s enough to keep me going.”
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