When the suffering fades from the headlines, our Jewish responsibility remains
After more than four years of war, there is a risk that we stop seeing the human stories behind the statistics. We cannot allow that to happen.
On Tuesday morning, as many of us woke to the ordinary rhythms of daily life, families across Ukraine woke to one of the largest Russian attacks in recent months.
Hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles were launched across the country. Residential buildings were hit. Children were injured. Families were killed in their homes.
The scale of the attack is shocking. But perhaps even more troubling is how familiar these headlines have become.
After more than four years of war, there is a risk that we stop seeing the human stories behind the statistics. That we become accustomed to reports of missiles, casualties and destruction. That suffering becomes normality.
At World Jewish Relief, we cannot allow that to happen.
Since the first days of the full-scale invasion – and for 30 years before – our supporters have stood alongside communities across Ukraine, helping to reach over 400,000 Ukrainians. We have provided humanitarian aid, evacuation support, home care, home repairs and livelihood support to help them rebuild their lives amid unimaginable uncertainty.
Following Tuesday’s attack, our teams and partners are once again calling on vulnerable Jewish and non-Jewish people; assessing damage, checking they are simply alive, and ensuring support reaches those who need it most.
What strikes me most when I visit Ukraine is not simply the scale of destruction but the determination of the people we meet.
Parents are determined to create some sense of normality for their children. Communities that continue helping neighbours even when they themselves have lost so much.
As Jews, these stories resonate deeply.
And the resilience is extraordinary. But resilience, a word the Jewish community knows the meaning of all too well, should never be mistaken for not requiring our support.
Tuesday’s attack is a reminder that the war has not slowed. It is not over. And for millions of Ukrainians, it remains a daily, heartbreaking reality. In fact, just over a week before, another Russian attack damaged the homes of 29 Jewish community members whom we support. They are badly shaken, in need of support, and some were even displaced.
Our history teaches us what it means to live with insecurity. We understand the consequences when the suffering of others is ignored. We know the importance of solidarity, not as an abstract concept but as a practical obligation.
The Jewish community in the UK has responded with remarkable generosity since this war began. Thousands of people have donated, volunteered and spoken out. Together, we have helped transform lives.
Yet, Tuesday’s attack is a reminder that the need has not disappeared simply because the news cycle has moved on.
Across Ukraine, homes continue to be damaged by missile strikes. Families continue to face harsh winters in properties that are no longer safe. Vulnerable people continue to live with the daily fear of sirens, explosions and uncertainty about what tomorrow may bring.
Our home repair programme has become one of the clearest examples of what, practically, can be done. A repaired roof is more than a roof. A replaced window is more than glass. These are the things that allow families to remain warm, safe and dignified.
Jewish tradition teaches that saving a single life is as if saving an entire world. In Ukraine today, that principle remains as relevant as ever.
And yet, yesterday’s attack has already disappeared from our news cycle. Forgotten in an instant.
But for the families who spent the night in shelters, for the children woken by explosions, and for the elderly people returning to their damaged homes, the consequences will remain long after the headlines disappear.
Our Jewish responsibility should remain, too. We must not forget Ukrainians in their time of need.
- Paul Anticoni OBE is the Chief Executive of World Jewish Relief
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