J

onathan Ornstein,
executive director
of Krakow’s Jewish
Community Center, has spent
years working to rebuild
Jewish life in a city that was
an important Jewish center
before the Holocaust.
Now he finds himself
working tirelessly to assist the
wave of Ukrainian refugees.
As of mid-March, Poland has
welcomed nearly 1.8 million
refugees, about 140,000 in
Krakow.
Neither the U.S.-born
Ornstein nor his JCC mem-
bers expected a full-scale
Russian invasion of Ukraine,
but once it began, the com-
munity sprang into action.
The 750-member JCC, which
hosts a preschool and pro-
grams for Holocaust survi-
vors, was transformed over-
night.
In weekly email updates
to supporters, Ornstein said,
“Our JCC team of staff and
volunteers is entirely focused
on helping those affected by
the war, Jews and non-Jews, in
Poland and Ukraine. Thanks
to the incredible generosity

of friends and supporters
worldwide, we have been able
to quickly and effectively take
action and help people.”
Krakow’s JCC is functioning
seven days a week, 14 hours a
day as a collection and distri-
bution point for food, med-
icine, hygienic supplies, toys
and clothing. Between 300 and
500 Ukrainians a day come
in to take whatever supplies
they need. As of March 10,
more than 2,000 Ukrainians
refugees received supplies
there. To increase its capacity,
the JCC has hired 11 full-time
staff members, including four
Ukrainians.
“We have teamed with a
local partner to design and
equip a 2,500-square-foot
safe space five minutes from
the JCC, for mothers and
children,” Ornstein said. “It
will provide childcare as well
as Polish and English classes
for moms who will also have
access to psychological assis-
tance and job counseling.
“We have formed a coalition
with four local NGOs and
together are running an infor-
mation point with Ukrainian

speakers providing a full array
of social services. A few dozen
people live in the space at any
time, and we are providing
meals to them. We are also
beginning to provide them
with Ukrainian language legal
and psychological counseling.”
The JCC has also partnered
with a local NGO to trans-
port loads of supplies to the
border and into Ukraine and
then on the return trip bring
people out. As of mid-March,
more than 3,000 people have
escaped Ukraine that way.
“
Among the many organi-
zations across Poland taking
action, the JCC is unique in

that it can access the financial
resources of American Jewish
communities and institutions,”
Ornstein said.
“We, as a Jewish institution,
are very much guided by the
idea of tikkun olam,
” Ornstein
said, referring to a Jewish con-
cept meaning “repairing the
world.”
“Poland has been amazing.
The turnout in Poland to sup-
port Ukraine has been unbe-
lievable,” he said.

Donate to the JCC Krakow’s efforts at

www.friendsofjcckrakow.org/ukraine.



Times of Israel reporter Lazar Berman

contributed to this report..

JCC in Krakow Aids Refugees

TIMES OF ISRAEL/JN STAFF

18 | MARCH 31 • 2022

OUR COMMUNITY

Jonathan
Ornstein in
his office.

LAZAR BERMAN/TIMES OF ISRAEL

The entryway to Krakow’s
JCC with a sign welcoming
Ukrainian refugees.

LAZAR BERMAN/TIMES OF ISRAEL