As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues, so does the refugee crisis it is causing

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has led to a massive displacement of people, with thousands of refugees fleeing their homes in search of safety and security. These refugees left their homes and lives behind for areas where their children would be able to sleep at night without fear of artillery strikes on their homes, and places where their children would be able to walk in the streets without the possibility that a stray bullet could maim or kill them at any moment. While initially the world opened its arms and pockets to supporting these individuals and partial families as the conflict has continued so has donor fatigue while these refugees still very much need our help.

When Russia launched its incursion into Ukraine in late February 2022, the countries bordering Ukraine — including Poland — opened their doors to the displaced offering shelter and refuge from the war. While significant government funding went towards arming Ukraine’s military and civilian defense forces, countless NGOs have stepped in to provide critical support to these individuals who left their lives behind offering them access to free short-term and very affordable long-term housing, offering them food, toiletries, clothing and other critical supplies and services.

Chabad of Poland was one of the many organizations that from serving its own community to also concurrently serving a large refugee community that needed its support. For many organizations — like ours — it is a responsibility to those who come to our country with not much more than the shirts on their backs.

We must remember that the people coming into our community are now requiring more than short term support. Because this conflict has raged on so long, the current refugee crisis is becoming a longer-term situation that requires more resources so that we can provide ongoing support.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, emphasized the importance of supporting and assisting refugees. He focused on the universal value of kindness and the responsibility to extend support to all of those in need, especially refugees, The Rebbe sent his students out to communities across the globe, including us to Poland, to serve as ambassadors of hope, inspiration and charity.

Our Rebbe taught us the importance of recognizing the intrinsic worth and potential of every human being. He believed that every individual, regardless of their background or circumstances, possesses a divine spark and should be treated with dignity and respect. He emphasized the power of unity and collective responsibility towards helping those suffering and he believed that by joining forces and extending help to those in need, individuals and communities can make a significant positive impact on the world.

While some Ukrainian refugees who came to Poland in the conflict’s initial weeks have been able to return to their homes, many remain in Poland, still needing critical assistance, and with each new offensive, another group of refugees finds its way to the border.

Until this conflict is resolved, the refugee crisis will continue to worsen, with more and more people being forced to flee their homes in search of safety and security.

These refugees are not just numbers or statistics, but real people with real needs and aspirations. They have been forced to flee their homes and leave behind everything they know and love, often under harrowing circumstances. They are mothers, fathers, children, and grandparents, with dreams and hopes for the future just like anyone else. Before the conflict, they had their own lives at home, livelihoods, family and community. The war has taken everything from them, and anything we can do, to provide for their comfort and the restoration of their dignity is our communal responsibility as citizens of a shared world.

It is our responsibility as human beings to provide these refugees with the support and assistance they need to rebuild their lives and move forward. This means providing them with basic necessities like food, shelter, and medical care, as well as educational opportunities and training to help them acquire the skills they need to support themselves and their families in their new host nations.

As organizations on the ground provide directed services, it is an opportunity — perhaps even a moral obligation — for people across the globe to support them in their mission.

Rabbi Mayer Stambler is the Co-Director of Chabad of Poland. Since the start of the Russian incursion into Ukraine, Chabad of Poland, based in Warsaw, has opened its doors to Ukrainian Refugees offering shelter, transportation, kosher food, medical aid, financial and material assistance, childcare, educational and social services, communal activities and administrative and legal aid to tens of thousands displaced by the conflict. Due to its refugee relief efforts, the organization has seen its expenses rise by more than $2 million since February 2022.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ukraine, Russia and the refugee crisis