Moldovan, Jewish Communities In South Florida Stepping Up To Help Ukraine Refugees
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The war in Ukraine may be on the other side of the world but South Floridians are among those stepping to help those leaving the country.
Many in the Sunny Isles Jewish community are now raising funds and helping to orchestrate a full humanitarian effort.
"Just last night 1,100 came," said Marsha Jaquays, with Florida Friends of Laniado Hospital.
She said that more than two million Ukrainian refugees are trying to escape their war-torn country. Many of them pass through the small country of Moldova, which borders Ukraine.
"From Moldova, this Jewish community is actually helping them get over the border line and then maybe providing them with food, shelter, and clothes," added Jaquays.
Much of the humanitarian effort is being spearheaded from right here in South Florida from Sunny Isles.
"My place is to organize maximum resources coming from American society to help this crisis in Moldova. We have a full team of people on the ground in Moldova doing their best to organize camps, buying food, buying all the amenities, organizing buses," said Emmanuil Grinshpun, who has been helping to organize the humanitarian effort.
What makes the situation even more dire is that Moldova is said to be among the poorest communities in the world. Still, those who are part of this effort say they will not let anything stop them from helping.
"When our brothers and sisters from Ukraine were coming we didn't have to think, we just started doing it," said Grinshpun.
Sentiments echoed by Jaquays.
"Who was there during the Holocaust, when the Nazis took over? How many people turned a blind eye and said it's not me, I'm not Jewish, it's not my community, I'm not in Europe. We can't make the same mistakes that history made. There's a saying that says 'If not now, when. If not me, then who'."
The organization says they are also hosting several events locally in hopes of raising awareness and help the Ukraine refugees. The next event will be in Sunny Isles on March 24. Click Here for details.
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