Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 48

A Soviet Childhood in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine

Thank you to Julia Bendis for sharing this excerpt from her book, No Smiling Allowed: Growing up in Soviet Russia and other funny stories from a Jewish immigrant.

ABOUT NO SMILING ALLOWED: This book is a comedic take on life in the former Soviet Union, as an immigrant in America. Bendis has compiled many years of funny stories about her old-fashioned and traditional Russian parents, their understanding of how life works in the United States, their hilarious adventures, and her own younger generation’s view of what it was like to blend in as a weird-looking kid from Russia. The audiobook follows Julia and her family from their life in Riga, Latvia, which was part of the former Soviet Union, through their move to California and all the adventures in between. Who knew that assimilation in a new country could have so many hilarious twists and turns? “Grandma started running around with a metal pot, asking all the neighborhood kids to sit and pee in it. That’s a sight I will never forget. She was a tough Ukrainian Jew that survived the war, so no kid wanted to ask questions. They just sat on it and peed in that pot.”

[image error] A Soviet Childhood: Excerpt courtesy of Julia Bendis

My life began on a hot and humid day in June of 1976, in a big town called Dnepropetrovsk, which is in Ukraine. Try saying that name a few times! Everyone remembers what the weather was like on the day they were born, right? Obviously not a single person in my family remembers what type of day it was, I am only assuming that it was hot and humid since summers in Ukraine are equivalent to the summers in the south here in the states—stifling hot, suffocating and full of mosquitos. Of course there was no such thing as air conditioning back in Soviet Russia either. The only reason I was born in Ukraine and not in Riga, Latvia where we lived, was because my mom wanted to deliver me in her native land surrounded by family and friends. The phrase “it takes a village” comes to mind, and it’s very much how our life was back in Soviet Union. Between neighbors, friends and family we had a good village looking out for my brother and I, while both of my parents had to work.

I’d like to think that my thirteen years of life in Latvia was filled with the happiest of memories, although my parents and grandparents don’t quite share the same sentiment. After all, how happy can life be when you live in a Communist regime right? Government constantly looking over your shoulder, and forget about freedom of expression, press, religion or going to the bathroom with a closed door for that matter. You think I’m joking, but when Soviet people talk about communal bathrooms, they don’t mean typical public bathrooms we enjoy here in America, where toilets have doors for privacy, and toilet paper doesn’t rip your privates apart; I literally mean everyone can see everything you are doing, and you think twice about using toilet paper out of fear of what sand paper could do to your behind. Sometimes you got lucky and found a public bathroom with a door in it, but most times you were shit out of luck, literally. But for me, growing up in Soviet Union was filled with good memories. Sure, we didn’t have luxuries like fancy clothes, normal toilet paper that didn’t give you sores, or exotic fruit like bananas or fruit of any kind for that matter and forget having green vegetables. (I didn’t see a real banana ‘til I was in America). And don’t get me started on the censorship over what music you listened to or what movies you could watch; everyone besides high politicians lived in tiny apartments, some having to share a kitchen with a whole other family, as in actual communal apartments. Where was I going with this? Oh, yes, my beautiful life back home; If you really think about it, we were surrounded by a loving family, grandparents and cousins not to mention lifelong friends that made even the hardest of days seem brighter, which is really the only thing that a child needs in life.

            I will talk more about this later, but life in Latvia was a tad better than in the rest of the Soviet Union. The Baltic States or Republics as they were known back then, which comprised of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia never wanted to be a part of Soviet Union, which of course didn’t stop Stalin from occupying all three countries and making them part of the Russian Empire. I think it’s in the Russian DNA: if we want something there is nothing in the world that will stop us from achieving it, whether it’s climbing the corporate ladder or invading foreign countries. To Russians especially it doesn’t really matter much what the task is, if it’s something they deeply desire and simply cannot live without, you bet it will happen! I think it’s also why Russian women are so good at getting what they want, especially as it pertains to our love life and settling down. I tell my sons to be careful dating Russian women, and to be even more careful dating the Jewish Russian ones. One minute you are happily single, enjoying the bachelor lifestyle and the next thing you are married with 2.5 kids, a house in the suburbs and a Volvo station wagon in the driveway. We rake you in with our charm and dry sense of humor, not to mention our skills in the bedroom, and by the time you realize what’s happening it’s too late because now you have a mortgage and kids’ college to pay for. But I digress…

            My point here is this: Russians/Ukrainians/anyone from the former Soviet countries are the most hard working and skilled people you will ever meet. We literally invented the phrase ‘work ‘til you are dead’ because that has always been the reality of our culture, and why Soviet immigrants end up so successful in foreign lands, but rarely do they enjoy life. I honestly never thought that my parents would ever retire, and my dad probably never will because as he put it, ‘I don’t know what I will do with myself if I don’t work. The day I stop working is the day you should probably just bury me…’ Actually I think he said give me a day to relax and then kill me. Did I mention that we are also overly dramatic and a bit morbid?

            From a very early age I remember being a hard worker and trying to be a good student. I purposely didn’t say that I was a good student because school never came easy for me, I hated everything about it except for the social aspect, of course. My brother always said that I had a gift of gab, and it only developed stronger and stronger over the years. I was, however, a big stickler for rules, and could not stand kids that slacked off or didn’t follow rules. Even as a kid it bothered me so much that I made sure to lecture everyone who broke the rules, pointing out that if they continued down that path, they would undoubtedly become losers living with their mothers. The problem with that argument is that most people in Russia and other Soviet countries ended up living with their mothers their entire life, so my point was moot. Not only would people live with their mothers, but also fathers, grandparents and sometimes aunts and uncles along with all of their children. You could say I was a tightly wound individual even as a child; I wouldn’t, but you could. Maybe it’s the communist culture or just who I am, but everything in my life had to make sense and more importantly everyone had to follow the rules and guidelines set in place. These rules and guidelines were mostly of my own doing, which is absurd for a child, and even more ridiculous when you see no other children being that anal and actually just being children and enjoying life.

In all of my forty-plus years on earth, I can honestly say that I have only enjoyed life about a handful of times. And it was no more than ten minutes at a time the most, mainly because I would start to panic that I’m forgetting something or missing an important event or God forbid, actually having a good time! I did not like change, and according to my mom, had a strict morning regimen even as young as three-years-old. When we got ready for the day, there was a constant and never-ending battle with my wardrobe. Apparently, I had to wear a particular outfit every day of the week, on my own accord of course, but the issue was that it also varied every day, and my poor mom could not keep up with my changing moods. For example, on Mondays I had to wear a dress with flowers on it so if I wasn’t given that particular dress I would throw a fit. We didn’t own a washing machine, in fact most people didn’t and had to wash clothes by hand and then let them hang to dry, which meant that people wore things more than once because the whole washing and drying process would take forever. I would cry and yell until I got the dress that I wanted. I refused to wear pants, because apparently in my little three-year-old mind no girl wears pants. Let’s just say I came out of my mother’s womb already filled with ideas of how life should be and who was going to be in charge and it was certainly not going to be my parents. I believe this psychotic routine was finally put to rest when my uncle came to visit; he observed the madness one morning and ended it with a threat to give me away if I didn’t stop being a little brat. You see my uncle Misha was the very definition of a tough Russian/Ukrainian guy; he served in the Russian army and was probably the only Jew in history to be physically and mentally feared by his fellow army comrades.

I believe his exact words were, (please read with a heavy Russian accent): “My little Yulia, you keep zis up and I personally give you new home in Siberia. No problem, very easy to do!” Russians love to say “no problem” because we can always find a solution to any problem, and I mean any. As soon as my Uncle left, I am fairly certain I found a new problem to throw a tantrum about.

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BIO
Julia Bendis is a matchmaker, author, mother and relationship educator. Julia is a third generation matchmaker, who specializes in intimacy, dating and relationship coaching. She recently published a comedic book about life in the former Soviet Union, it is available in print and as an audiobook on Amazon Audible. ‘No Smiling Allowed: Growing up in Soviet Russia and other funny stories from a Jewish immigrant’ is a culmination of short stories about life in the USSR, moving to America and what it was like to navigate a completely foreign life, culture and language.

Julia was born in the former Soviet Union, Ukraine to be precise and lived in Latvia with her family. They immigrated to California in 1989 right before the collapse of Soviet Union. She decided to start her matchmaking and coaching business after matching people as a hobby her entire life. Matchmaking is literally in her blood; she watched her grandmother and mother set people up feeling that she too has a keen intuition for matchmaking and bringing people together.

Food, intimacy and human connections are the most important aspects of life and why Julia spends her life educating people about love, sex and how to date properly…

With each client, Julia gets to know them on a personal level, their needs, wants and desires for their future mate.  After the initial meeting, Julia personally hand selects a potential match from her database, by meeting and recruiting new clientele, or through her large network of other matchmakers. When a potential client is not ready for dating, Julia focuses on coaching and guidance for their future. When she isn’t working (which seems to be all the time) she is meddling into her sons’ love lives, cooking for her loved ones and helping those in need. Julia’s passions have always been helping victims of human trafficking, those in abusive relationships and women’s rights. Recently with the invasion and war unfolding in Ukraine, Julia has been helping with translations, donations and helping the Ukrainian people in any way possible.

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Road Trip READY: Genesis GV70 to Joshua Tree

During COVID, I have taken two amazing California road trips. My first was in a Genesis G80 to Death Valley National Park. Not only was it my first time to Death Valley but it was my first time in a Genesis which we all LOVED! Recently, for President’s Weekend 2022, I went to Joshua Tree for the first time in a brand new GV70 3.5T AWD Sport Prestige. Both the National Park and the car are FANTASTIC!

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We were not the only ones to love the GV70 as it was named MotorTrend’s 2022 SUV of the Year®! And as Genesis says, “the first-ever GV70 is here to satisfy your cravings, needs and wants. Featuring incredible performance, athletic styling and advanced technology, this SUV proves that in the end, want wins.” Our car exterior was Mauna Red with an Ultramarine Blue interior. Every detail seemed carefully handcrafted from the seats to the dashboard to the seemingly endless safety features.

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SANGYUP LEE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF GLOBAL DESIGN, GENESIS says: “The audaciously designed new GV70 breaks new ground for Genesis through purity of design execution. This follows the Genesis G80 and GV80, which demonstrated the perfect balance of our design identity—Athletic Elegance.”

We loved that the GV70 had so many sophisticated cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors with Smart Cruise Control and Remote Smart Parking Assist. The 14.5-inch HD screen allowed us to follow the navigation even when we had no service on our phones! The touchscreen was easy to use and gave us accurate routing to all of our destinations in the National Park.

This car feels like it is from the future since you can use the Genesis Digital Key and have your smartphone lock or unlock it as well as starting the car with a tap of your finger using the industry-first in-vehicle fingerprint reader!

I was impressed with the full 360º-view around the vehicle while we were parking–every side, angle and above the vehicle made sure that we had no blind spots and avoided any obstacles while parking. I also really loved the Blind-Spot View Monitor which gives “a live view of your blind spot in the gauge cluster, giving you more confidence when changing lanes.”

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After years of working on a cruise ship and being involved in safety drills twice a week, I am always thinking about possible incidents and accidents. I loved that this vehicle has been rated as one of the safest vehicles on the road and chosen as a 2021 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ by a set of comprehensive collision tests, standard headlight performance, and crash prevention technologies. 

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I cannot wait for our next road trip and I highly recommend both the GV70 and the G80! Truly spectacular for driving, safety and teenager approved! Our two teens said there was plenty of room in the back seat–and they preferred the GV70 (but they did love the G80 too!)

Thirty VIDEOS from our Adventures in Joshua Tree:

Learn more about our G80 Genesis Road Trip to Death Valley [image error] Genesis X Concept Car [image error] Road Trip: Death Valley in a Genesis G80

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Women’s History Month: READ Woman On Fire

From the author of the award-winning FUGITIVE COLORS and THE UNBREAKABLES, WOMAN ON FIRE is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece—forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.

[image error] WOMAN ON FIRE summary from HarperCollins Publishers

After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual—and very secret—assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier: legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan’s help to find it. But Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying.

Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis’s grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux’s clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he’ll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.

A thrilling tale of secrets, love, and sacrifice that illuminates the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love, Woman on Fire tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history.

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Excerpt from the new book: WOMAN ON FIRE by Lisa Barr. Copyright © 2022 by Lisa Barr. Reprinted courtesy of Harper Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

“Good evening, and welcome,” Margaux begins. “I’m Margaux de Laurent, and I’m thrilled to be here with you tonight.” She doesn’t need a microphone. Her rich voice resonates, her British accent posh and well-heeled, reflecting her privileged up- bringing. “This is DLG’s eighteenth year presenting at Art Basel. Tonight’s showcase is particularly important to me because it’s more than just an exhibit—it’s personal.” She gestures toward the large covered canvas perched behind her, and everyone’s gaze follows. She has her audience in the palm of her hand. “This painting has been missing from our family collection for eight decades. Until now . . .” There is a pregnant pause as Mar- gaux makes a panoramic sweep of the packed house, then turns to her assistant standing near her dressed in head-to-toe black.

“Unveil it.”

The drape comes off in one dramatic swoop and Jules gazes up in awe at the enormous canvas, and then a shock wave hits her as though she walked into a restaurant and a surprise party were waiting for her on the other side of the door. She may be imagining it, but Margaux smiles directly at her from the podium, a mercurial grin that quickly dissolves into a sneer. Jules’s blood thumps; her anger mounts. That painting does not belong to her. “Liar!” Jules screams at the top of her lungs, but no actual sound emerges. Her voice is hollow. Perspiration slides down the back of her designer dress. This can’t be happening.

But it is.

The clapping is random at first, and then a resounding ovation breaks out, deafening, like the winning goal in a World Cup game. Jules’s face burns, yet her hands are cold, as though her body temperature is malfunctioning, realizing that she is the one who has been played.

Margaux revels in the applause. Her hard gaze finds Jules once again. Her iced smile is no longer a mere victory lap—it’s a You’re f$cked with a cherry on top.

Jules sees Adam trying to push through the packed house and make his way toward her. Before she can react, she feels a hard rap on her shoulder and follows the finger. A sharp-faced young woman stands before her in a white leather minidress so tight that it would take a scraper to get it off. Jules recognizes her as the Door Girl, who stood at the mansion’s entrance marking off the guest list—which clearly isn’t her day job.

“Follow me,” the woman commands under her breath. As in now. Jules’s legs no longer seem to hold her up. Her gaze shoots to the other side of the room, searching for Adam, but he is gone. Where? Her head is spinning. Think, think.

Her gut warns her to run like hell, but the bigger part of her knows that she’d better do as she is told. The or else looms over her head like a black cloud. Jules follows the woman out of the courtyard, through a discreet side door, down a short narrow staircase, and into the unknown. Before she can see what’s happening or revise her decision, Jules’s purse is snatched, and she is pushed roughly into the back seat of a waiting vehicle by a firm, meaty hand.

She turns briefly, and through the car’s tinted rear window she spots the Door Girl standing in the zigzag shadows of a lit-up palm tree in the distance. Suddenly, without warning, a hood is placed tightly over Jules’s head and her hands are tied. The air leaves her lungs, and it feels like her head is departing from her body as the car accelerates. She braces herself against the sticky leather seat. Why didn’t she leave or run or scream when she had the chance? Is the damn painting worth her life and those of the people she loves?

BUY your copy of WOMAN ON FIRE [image error] Lisa Barr, photo courtesy of HarperCollins

Have you read this one yet?

WOMAN ON FIRE by @lisabarr18 tells the story of a remarkable woman and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts, and history…

Available now: https://t.co/h1Ule111rD pic.twitter.com/SlYH4WDu27

— Harper Perennial (@HarperPerennial) March 10, 2022

FROM DEADLINE :

‘Woman On Fire’: Sharon Stone To Produce & Star In Film Adaptation Of Upcoming Lisa Barr Novel:: Sharon Stone (The Flight Attendant, Ratched) has optioned the rights to Lisa Barr’s upcoming novel Woman on Fire, inking a deal to produce and star in a film adaptation.

[image error] Woman on Fire is a Katie Couric Must-Read Books 2022 [image error] BUZZFEED: Must Read Historical Fiction 2022 [image error] Publishers Weekly – Starred review  [image error] PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – Book Pics of the Week [image error] Jewish Book Council: New Winter Favorite Books! [image error] JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL EVENT: APRIL 11, 2022

Come hear Lisa Barr speak with James McAuley at JBC vir­tu­al Unpack­ing the Book event, Lisa Barr and James McAuley — Art, Assim­i­la­tion, and Reclaim­ing a Stolen Lega­cy, which will be pre­sent­ed in part­ner­ship with the Jew­ish Muse­um and Tablet Mag­a­zine on Mon­day, April 11th at 7 PM ET–click here for free tickets!

Jewish Book Council Essay: The Ongo­ing Bat­tle Over Nazi-Loot­ed Art by Lisa Barr

[image error] Hadassah’s APRIL One Book, One Hadassah! EVENT April 7, 7pm [image error] MARCH EVENTS: MEET LISA BARR

March 11 @ 6 p.m. PST 
Vromans Bookstore, Pasadena, CA – In conversation with Variety Features Editor Malina Saval
EVENT REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/lisa-barr

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March 12 @ 7 p.m. MT
Tattered Cover, Aspen Grove. In Conversation with with Denver7’s Suzanne Gutierrez

March 15 @ 7 p.m. CST
B’nai Tikvah Synagogue, Deerfield, Illinois.

March 25 @ 6:30 p.m. ET
Books & Books, Coral Gables, An evening with bestselling author Emily Liebert

March 31 @ Noon
Luncheon — Guest Speaker: Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah

WOMAN ON FIRE by @lisabarr18 got a starred review from @PublishersWkly!

Read the full review here: https://t.co/vgG5t2ibGk pic.twitter.com/Dfjxd3iIZR

— Harper Perennial (@HarperPerennial) March 9, 2022

Author Bio 

Lisa Barr is the award-winning author of WOMAN ON FIRE, THE UNBREAKABLES and the historical thriller FUGITIVE COLORS, a suspenseful tale of stolen art, love, lust, deception and revenge on the “eve” of WWII. The novel won the IPPY gold medal for “Best Literary Fiction 2014” and first prize at The Hollywood Film Festival (Opus Magnum Discovery Award). In addition, Lisa served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, managing editor of Today’s Chicago Woman, managing editor of Moment magazine, and as an editor/reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. Among the highlights of her career, Lisa covered the famous “handshake” between the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, and President Bill Clinton at the White House. Lisa has been featured on Good Morning America and Today for her work as an author, journalist, and blogger. In breaking book news: Actress Sharon Stone is set to produce and star in the film adaptation of WOMAN ON FIRE.

Advanced Praise for WOMAN ON FIRE

Barr’s vigorous prose complements her fully realized characters. Readers will be gripped from start to finish …”  –Publisher’s weekly – Starred Review

“Woman on Fire is a sharp, propulsive page-turner that will keep readers in suspense.” – Booklist

“Part-thriller, part-historical fiction, this book will have you gripping the pages until the very end.” –Buzzfeed 

“Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit, WOMAN ON FIRE is a truly compulsive read.”  – Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING

“An exuberant and propulsive thriller laced with sex, art, and history, Lisa Barr has created an unforgettable story that forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge.”  – Alyson Richman, international bestselling author of The Secret of Clouds.

“Barr’s riveting dive into the dark side of the international art world, led by an intrepid young journalist, had me on the edge of my seat.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

“Addictively propulsive and laced with rapid-fire twists and turns, this sizzling tale of deception, lust, Nazi-looted art, and murder crackles with tension and comes vividly, strikingly alive in Lisa Barr’s skilled hands.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars

WOMAN ON FIRE by @lisabarr18 is “a thrilling page-turner that delivers everything from coded messages and secret knocks, to generational wounds and captivating characters.”

Read the full @NYJournalofBook review here: https://t.co/fN79VeAzRb pic.twitter.com/5PAmqcXK70

— Harper Perennial (@HarperPerennial) March 8, 2022

new york journal of books: Woman on Fire: A Novel: “delivers a message of hope, drawing the story full circle to focus on the timeless power of beauty and love, two forces that can outlive even the darkest situations.”

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Niver In PRINT: Blog Bytes December 2021 Jewish Journal

Thank you to the Jewish Journal for publishing me online for over a decade. [image error]

Since they resumed print publication in Fall 2021, I have been in the Blog Bytes section more than sixteen times!Here are the three issues that I was in during December 2021: Jewish Journal Dec 3, 2021: p.30

During COVID, have you been wondering what car is perfect for a family road trip? We took a 2021 Genesis G80 3.5T Prestige (Black Forest / Beige) to Death Valley. Two adults, a teen and a tween and we absolutely loved the G80. Thank goodness for the car navigation system as we had no cell service in the park.

I loved my Genesis G80 road trip to Death Valley! Learn more about Genesis and our adventures in my two articles and three videos.

You can also see more in this print edition of the Jewish Journal about our trip:

[image error] [image error] [image error] Jewish Journal Dec 17, 2021: p.30

My article about Ruby’s Rainbow: Making Dreams Come True:

“By donating to Ruby’s Rainbow, you are helping students with Down syndrome go for their dreams of higher education and independence!

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I met Melinda who supports Ruby’s Rainbow through her husband, Ken Lindner, who recently spoke at Stephen Wise Temple about his book, Aspire Higher.

Jewish Journal Dec 24, 2021: p.32Thank you to Zelle and Mindy Kaling for the lovely holiday gathering! Thank you to the Jewish Journal for putting part of my article in PRINT

My article said: “Zelle wants you to be financially savy! To be successful, you need to be MONEY SMART! Two thirds (2/3) of American adults need more financial skills around budgeting, planning for your future and paying off their debts. Figuring out credit card bills, health care costs and mortgage payments is stressful for many people. Becoming a parent inspires many people to do a financial audit, figure out a plan and make a will.”

[image error] [image error] [image error] THANK YOU TO THE JEWISH JOURNALSee my stories that were in the September print issuesthe October print issuesthe November print issues [image error]

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Hamantashen for HOPE and more ways to HELP Ukraine

You can help by BAKING:

Hamantashen are a symbolic cookie for the holiday of Purim – a time of reflection about destructive megalomaniacs and triumph of good over evil. Ukrainians are, in real time, facing a modern-day Haman in Vladimir Putin. Let’s do what we can to help.

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FROM NOSHER at My Jewish Learning:
To Help Ukraine, These Jewish Bakers Are Making Hamantaschen

GET INVOLVED at “Hamantashen For Ukraine” who donate their proceeds to Polish Humanitarian Action, an organization that’s distributing food, hot drinks, diapers, hygiene products and blankets, as well as providing information and transportation for newly arrived refugees from Ukraine.

 Over 30 home bakers and bakeries from Warsaw to Portland have signed up. A full list of participants can be found under “where to find hamantashen!”

[image error] KVELLER: Jewish Mom Mila Kunis Is Raising Money for her Native Ukraine

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“The events that have unfolded in the Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity,” Kunis went on to say. “Ashton and I have decided to match up to $3 million worth of donations to Airbnb.org and flexport.org, through GoFundMe.org, in an effort to raise $30 million.”

“Flexport is going to be transporting the much-needed humanitarian aid directly to known NGOs on the ground that can ensure that that aid will be received by the most needed parties,” Kutcher explained, later adding that the organization will be “organizing shipments of relief supplies to refugee sites in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova.”

“And Airbnb will be supporting housing and cost of living to those who take in refugees,” Kunis added.

“The people of Ukraine are strong and brave, but being strong and brave doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of support. We need to support the people of Ukraine. Please help us,” Kunis pleaded to the couple’s fans and followers at the end of the video.

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JFEDLA:

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles is mobilizing to respond to the needs of the Jewish community in Ukraine resulting from the Russian invasion. The entire country faces chaos, scarcity, and violence — and the almost 200,000 members of Ukraine’s Jewish community are especially vulnerable. Whenever and wherever there have been threats to Jewish life, the Federation and our partners — the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency for Israel — are there to provide vital aid and help those in peril relocate out of harm’s way.

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Hadassah for the Ukraine

KVELLER: The Whole World Is Admiring a Jewish Leader Right Now. That’s an Incredible Thing.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a charismatic leader who is refusing to back down in the face of seemingly impossible odds, is inspiring people in his nation and around the world — and he’s Jewish.

[image error] Ukraine Crisis Fund: World Union for Progressive Judaism

In the light of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the World Union for Progressive Judaism launches the Ukraine Crisis Fund. We ask people from all over the world to make donations towards the support of the Ukrainian Jewish community.

Money will be spent on individuals and communities to ensure their safety and well-being. If the conflict escalates further, your money will become crucial and necessary help for many people. If the tension eases, the fund will be spent on the development of the progressive Jewish community in Ukraine.

כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה
Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh.
All of Israel Are Responsible for One Another

HIAS Responds to the Crisis in Ukraine [image error] RELIGION NEWS: This is our Jewish superhero

“Never before in modern history have the world’s eyes so clearly focused on a Jew, demonstrating a sweet mix of character, patriotism and sheer courage. Every Jew in the world today can hold his or her head up higher because of Zelenskyy. More than that: Every Jewish young person now has a hero that they can call their own.”

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The tragic situation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing immense suffering inside Ukraine as well as an unprecedented refugee crisis in Poland and other neighboring countries.

Our JCC team of staff and volunteers is entirely focused on helping those affected by the war, Jews and non-Jews, in Poland and Ukraine. Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends and supporters worldwide, we have been able to quickly and effectively take action and help people. [image error]

President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Europeans on Friday to “take to the streets” to support Ukraine. Protesters did so in Bratislava, Frankfurt, Lyon, Prague, Tbilisi, Vienna and Vilnius.

EVEN MORE WAYS TO HELP:

Participate with Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher and GoFundMe for Airbnb and Flexport

Keep Ukraine’s Media Going

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: INFO AND WAYS TO HELP

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Ways to Help the Ukraine from Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback and Stephen Wise Temple

[image error] YOU Can Help Rescue the Refugees at the Ukrainian Border

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MORE ways to help from RAZOM

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The post Hamantashen for HOPE and more ways to HELP Ukraine appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Hi there, thank you for contacting us. We can confirm we...

Hi there, thank you for contacting us. We can confirm we are waiving all guest and host fees on all bookings in Ukraine at this time. Thank you. https://t.co/WCQEFGIlXC

— Airbnb Help (@AirbnbHelp) March 3, 2022

The post appeared first on We Said Go Travel.