OU to Airlift Kosher Food and Medical Supplies to Ukrainian Jewish Refugees

By BJLife Newsroom
Posted on 03/10/22

Among the millions of Ukrainians fleeing or trying to survive in war-torn Ukraine, there are 200,000 Ukrainian Jews in dire need of food and medical supplies. The Orthodox Union and its partners tonight are sending almost 6,000 kosher, self-heating meals and thousands of pounds of other kosher food and medical supplies from Newark Liberty and JFK airports to Ukrainian refugees via Poland.

OU's Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer and Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, a New York native, will meet just ahead of the airlift to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Rabbi Schudrich will then accompany the flight with supplies back to Poland, where he will help distribute them to refugees. The Orthodox Union and partners are also sending another shipment of kosher food and medical supplies to Poland via JFK Airport tonight, which Rabbi Schudrich also will oversee.

Supplies include:

• 5,900 Ready Meals (self-heating, ready to eat) from Labriute Caterers in Lakewood, N.J. (donated by Agudath Israel of America)
• 1,500 pounds of canned tuna (donated by Kosherline of Brooklyn)
• 3,000 pounds of snacks, including cookies, candies and crackers (donated by Gourmet Glatt, Lakewood, N.J.)
• 4,500 pounds of candies and crackers (donated by Paskesz of Brooklyn)
• 1,500 pounds of over-the-counter pain and cough medications, acetaminophen, eye drops (donated by World of Giving/Rabbi Mordechai Roizman)
• 1,500 pounds of first-aid medical supplies (gauze, and plasters in various sizes, wound care products, slings, braces, finger cots, tape, thermometers, antiseptic creams and spray, rash cream, cleansing wipes and cloths, and gloves (donated by World of Giving/Rabbi Mordechai Roizman)