The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) is one of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s partner organizations on the ground in Ukraine. Jewish Federation support for decades enabled JAFI to be on the ground helping on day one of the invasion of Ukraine.

Before fleeing Ukraine and making her way to Israel with Jewish Agency assistance, Arina sheltered in a storage room underground for a week in the cold with her family. She and her little sister, Lada, traveled from Kharkiv to Lviv and then to Warsaw, crossing the Ukraine-Poland border on foot over the course of seven hours.

Today, as recent immigrants to Israel, Arina and Lada reside at The Jewish Agency’s absorption center in Karmiel.

Learn more about Arina's inspiring and harrowing journey.