MIGDAL’S CRISIS RELIEF FUND FOR ODESA AND SOUTHERN UKRAINE
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that horrifying wartime reality in Ukraine still continues. Recent airstrikes of hundreds of missiles, the worst since the beginning of the war, are causing constant senseless destruction and blackouts, taking lives of civilians, and targeting major energy and infrastructure facilities. The Russian terror is fully showing its ugly face now by depriving everyone of electricity, gas, and water right from the start of the cold winter months. Severely affected are Kyiv, Zaporizhia, Lviv, Odesa, Sumy, Rivne, Ternopil, Khmelnitskyi, and now a large part of Moldova. The terrorists’ plan to turn winter into a weapon by leaving people in the cold and dark is clearly aimed at bringing unbelievable hardship, suffering, death, and breaking people’s spirit.
This winter will be especially brutal for those who lost their homes, migrants and refugees. In response to a massive migration caused by ongoing war, Migdal launched its new program, the Netzach Center. Our center’s door is open to those in need who remained in Odesa since the beginning of the war, as well as to the influx of refugees from all over Ukraine. We have hundreds of refugees now, including families with children from Mykolaiv and Odesa regions, Kherson, Mariupol, and many others. The Netzach Center provides assistance with vital needs, food, clothes, education, and most importantly, professional psychotherapy. Our core mission is to help adults and children deal with horrible war inflicted mental traumas. We have the best clinical psychologists working with all who need urgent and immediate mental help. The Netzach Center is also incorporating different types of therapy, including music, art, and photography.
Migdal’s team is working with all refugees to help them with their needs and to make sure that they don’t feel lonely and isolated. People who just lost their homes are being welcomed and cared for in our Netzach “warm house”. We make sure that they get to know others and form new social circles during a smooth integration process. Some people become “alive” again after the severe traumas they went through and start visibly recovering from deep depression. Many of those who come to the Netzach Center have chronic panic and anxiety attacks. People who have disabled children live in constant fear. When they hear the sound of sirens, it is very difficult for them to quickly move to safety with children who are unable to cope under the circumstances. Sometimes it is impossible for them to move anywhere, so we also provide care to families with disabled children.
It will be very difficult to survive this dark and cold winter. We are doing our best to provide emotional warmth, restore strength, reduce feelings of loneliness, and help people to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We believe that If there is no light, we have to become a source of light for others. Just like during Hanukkah, if we light our inner menorah even though there is very little oil left, it will bring light for many days as we stand against darkness. Your help is crucial for survival of those in need during these winter months. You can make a real difference and save lives through your immediate donation. Please consider making a monthly donation and refer to your friends to strengthen your impact!
