NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — Offering prayers for Ukraine wasn't enough so a group from the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on the Upper West Side is now in Europe offering supplies and comfort.
The delegation, led by Rabbi Amiel Hirsch Sr., packed their bags and went to the Polish-Ukrainian border to greet refugees and offer aid.
“This is the first transit stop for refugees,” Rabbi Hirsch told WCBS 880. “In fact, we're standing outside the hub here and we just saw a bus of Ukrainian refugees who arrived. It's the saddest sight you can imagine.”
Bringing 85 duffel bags filled with 2,000 pounds of supplies, the crew of 25 is about five miles away from the war-torn country. Rabbi Hirsch describes the mood at the border as seeing the worst and best of humanity.
“We're seeing traumatized refugees who literally just crossed the border and coming off the bus after having been bombed for weeks. It’s almost all mothers and children,” Rabbi Hirsch told 1010 WINS. “But at the same time, there is an element here of uplift because the enormous humanitarian outpouring of love and support for these refugees is something to behold.”
In a matter of just three weeks, congregants from the synagogue heeded Rabbi Hirsch’s calls to take the trip, dropping everything to fly across the globe to help.
“We want to offer our support to the humanitarian workers who are here and just tell them that we're supportive of them. And we wish them well,” Rabbi Hirsh told WCBS 880.
The group will return back to New York City on Thursday night after the five-day trip.
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