In the Post:
An Update: Rabbi Yonah & Rachel in Poland
Rabbi Yonah, Rachel, Shlomo and Naftali, along with Natalie and Jonathan Gerber, have arrived in Poland.
They brought with them numerous resources to help the refugees, for both Passover and daily life.
In Warsaw, they met with refugees at the Jewish Agency Aliyah center, where Rabbi Yonah made a concert for the children and their families!
They traveled in an overloaded shuttle with 30 bags plus all of the Seder supplies, including 120 pounds of Matza, cases of wine, and many other items.
From there they made their way to Hotel Ilan in Lublin. There, the kitchen has been made Kosher for Passover, shopping completed, with Passover and Seder preparations well underway.
The stories that people are telling are heartbreaking, and the children are traumatized.
We are working hard with the refugee center staff and hotel to make this Passover truly unforgettable and special for everybody, including the 130 people we expect at the Seder.
The Gerbers traveled to the border, delivering needed medical and humanitarian supplies. And on Monday Rabbi Yonah and Rachel will be going to another refugee boarder crossing to deliver more aid and supplies. This includes things like: hygiene kits, soap, wash cloths, scarfs and sweaters, notebooks and pens, beauty kits, and first aid supplies.
We are representatives everyone who has made the Pico Shul mission in Poland possible. We thank the Chief Rabbi of Poland and the Jewish Community of Warsaw and all the volunteers and donors who have made this happen.
And there is still more to be done for the refugees and their families!
Going into Pesach, as recount the miracles of the Exodus, the story of when we all were displaced, let's also help to bring more joy and blessings into the lives of others!
Rabbi Yonah pictured with refugees at the Jewish Agency Aliyah center.
Chag Sameach from Lublin: A Video
Passover Eve at Ukrainian Refugee Center in Lublin
This morning, when Rachel and I were starting to prepare for the seders, several elderly women approached us at Hotel Ilan. They have fled Kharkov and Lviv, and are refugees in need. What unfolded in the next two hours is an outpouring of Chesed I lack the words to fully describe. Click here to continue reading...
Refugees arrive at aid distribution center at Hotel Ilan in Lublin on eve of Passover, April 15, 2022.
(Photo: Yonah Bookstein)