Three Years of War in Ukraine
Resilience, Reinforcement and Recovery
ORT America and its partners have provided essential aid to the ORT Ukraine community in response to the continuing war. This includes emergency financial assistance, uninterrupted education whenever possible, crucial psychological support, emergency response training, and food and equipment supplies.
While the challenges they face are tremendous, our students, teachers and their families continue to show courage and resilience. This is in large part due to your unwavering commitment.
As we move into year four of the crisis, we still need your generous support to meet the ongoing, urgent needs of our ORT family in Ukraine. This includes the capital needs of our schools, financial assistance, mental health resources, continued education, and reserve funds for other emergency needs.
The Current Situation
The challenges facing ORT’s educational communities in Ukraine are even more urgent today than when the war started three years ago.
The ongoing conflict has deeply affected our students, teachers, and their families. It is not just the classroom environment that has faced significant disruption; it is their daily lives, their safety, and their physical and mental wellbeing.
Despite these challenges, ORT Ukraine’s commitment to maintaining educational excellence remains steadfast.
This winter, as temperatures dropped, the situation has become even more dire. With extensive damage to the country’s energy infrastructure, we face the very real threat of extended power outages, leaving schools without electricity, water, and heating. It is critical that we ensure our schools can continue to operate safely and effectively under these harsh conditions.
That is why World ORT’s immediate priority is to raise the funds necessary to make our schools energy-independent, ensuring learning can continue without disruption, no matter the circumstances. But our work will not stop there.
We are also focused on providing comprehensive support to address the broader needs of our school communities across Ukraine, from financial aid for staff and infrastructure improvements to psychological services for those affected by the trauma of war.
Your Support is Urgently Needed
Your support is crucial. Since February 2022, you have provided stability, continuity, and hope to students and families who desperately need it. We have identified more than a dozen areas of urgent need across ORT Ukraine’s areas of operation:
Winter Needs – including blankets, fleece jackets, thermoses. Funding needed: $62,000
Electrical System at Odesa School – overhaul of power system to ensure safety and functionality. $100,000
Financial Support for School Staff – supplemental payments to overcome economic hardships caused by war. $65,500
Professional Development for Teachers – training projects including webinars, online courses and specialist materials. $43,000
Meals for Shelters – feeding students during prolonged bombing and missile attacks. $40,000
Renovation of Hebrew Classroom in Odesa – new floor, waterproofing, heating improvements etc to create safe learning environment. $33,000
Support for Jewish Educators – supplementary payments for Hebrew and Jewish studies teachers. $31,500
Training for School Psychologists – specialist training for 13 psychologists in 10 educational institutions. $21,710
Continuing Support for Trauma Counselling – funding for our psychological support project covering art therapy, self-regulation techniques, group interaction strategies and psychoeducation for students, teachers and parents. $15,200
Security at Zaporizhzhia and Bila Tserkva Schools – professional security services until summer 2025. $15,600
Meals at Chernivtsi school – providing hot lunches to students in one of the poorest regions of the country, with many families displaced by the war. $50,000
Internet and Networking Equipment for Shelters – installation of fiber internet and reduced power consumption operations. $4,000
Jewish Education Needs – Marking Jewish holidays and other events. $50,000
Power Supply Needs – batteries for schools ($90,000), generator maintenance in all ORT schools ($99,000)
We are seeking an additional $1.5 million to enhance our schools’ energy independence via integrated inverters, solar panels and generators. These would address the expected 16-17 hours of daily blackouts during the winter which are the result of 80 percent of Ukraine’s energy system being disabled.
A new hybrid energy system would be low-maintenance and could operate for between three and five years, reducing long-term operational costs.
ORT's Impact to Date
Students at the ORT School in Zaporizhzhia with gifts of laptops from generous donors.
For 143 years ORT has responded in times of crisis, pivoting to provide not only uninterrupted education but whatever urgent resources our students, teachers, families and schools need to persevere. Our communities are filled with brave and resilient children and the adults who care for them, and they are made stronger by your dedication and commitment to their future.
Thanks to the support of our donors, ORT is able to respond to the urgent and ongoing needs of our ORT family in Ukraine, including the capital needs of our schools, financial assistance, emotional and trauma support, uninterrupted education, and the reserve funds needed to address unanticipated needs.
"Your Efforts Have Been Invaluable"
A Message from Raisa Sherbatuk, Hebrew Language Teacher
Raisa Sherbatuk, Hebrew teacher at Odesa ORT Jabotinsky School #94, conducting an online class.
“My name is Raisa Sherbatuk. I have been working as a Hebrew teacher at Odesa ORT Jabotinsky School #94 for many years.
“The conflict has disrupted our classroom activities and significantly strained students and educators. Frequent air raid alarms disrupt the teaching and learning process, adding an additional layer of anxiety.
“Before the war, there were five Hebrew and Jewish Studies teachers: now we are only two. We have had to merge classes and reduce Hebrew lessons for some grades from three per week to two.
“My workload has increased dramatically. I now teach 36 lessons every week – seven or eight a day with no breaks. Additionally, I need to provide extra classes for new students, distance learning students and those who are behind.
“I want to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to ORT supporters – your efforts have been invaluable, not only to me but also to our entire school community. Thank you for standing with us during this challenging period.”