In light of tragic events involving a swelling population of migrants and refugees in Europe and the Middle East, the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (JCDR) has acted to expand the scope and mandate of its Jewish Coalition for Syrian Refugees in Jordan to include refugees and migrants in Europe and the Middle East. The Coalition is assessing needs on the ground and raising emergency funds for humanitarian aid.

The Coalition – comprising a now growing group of Jewish organizations – previously aided thousands of Syrian refugees through more than $500,000 in grants to humanitarian groups operating in Jordan and its efforts led to the founding of the MutliFaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees, an interfaith movement that advocates for the needs of Syrian refugee populations.

Over the past several years, the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief has responded to major crises in Sudan, Haiti, Japan, Philippines, Nepal, and the Horn of Africa.

Update Sept. 7th: Warning that we are in the midst of the greatest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, World Jewish Relief (WJR) has also launched an emergency appeal. Explaining the importance of the UK’s Jewish community coming together with this appeal, Paul Anticoni, WJR’s CEO told eJP, “Many Jews wouldn’t be here today without our ancestors finding shelter as refugees. Just as the Jewish community did not stand idly by in the 1930s, our community must once again come together to take action to support those fleeing violence, war and persecution.”

World Jewish Relief’s Refugee Crisis Appeal is supported by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Federation of Synagogues, JCORE, JLC, JW3, Liberal Judaism, London Jewish Forum, Masorti Judaism, Movement for Reform Judaism, Office of the Chief Rabbi, The S&P Sephardi Community, Tzedek, UJS, United Synagogue and the ZYC (the Jewish youth movements).