Taking a Tip From R. Tarfon
After nearly two week’s of Putin’s savage pummeling of Ukraine, even the most obsessive of news watchers feels in need of a break. The 24-hour-a-day footage of buildings and bridges being reduced to rubble, the miles long Russian convoys and endless lines of fleeing refuges makes for moral outrage, sleepless nights and heated debate centering on two questions:
What’s going on in Vladimir Putin’s debilitated mind? and
What can we do about it?
Of course, at the same time, we marvel at - and pray for - the awesome heroism, resilience and fortitude of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Ukrainian countrymen who, like the Maccabees of old, refuse to take it. Then too, as we noted in last week’s blog the response of the E.U., the U.S., and countries around the world has been heartening. No, they have not invoked NATO’s Article V, which says in black-and-white "Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." One reason is that Ukraine is not a member of NATO; the other is that an armed response from NATO either on land or from the air could most likely trigger World War III. And there are debates about the wisdom of establishing a “No Fly Zone” over Ukraine, despite President Zelenskyy’s urgent request that NATO do so.
(N.B. A no-fly zone is an order to ban aircraft in a specified area. Such zones are sometimes imposed over government buildings or public places for security reasons, or over sacred sites for religious and cultural reasons. Their most contentious use is when they are used during conflicts to prevent military aircraft from engaging in hostile actions. The modern use of such strategy goes back to the Persian Gulf War. No-fly zones can allow countries to take action without committing large numbers of ground troops, relying instead on a comparatively small number of aircraft and supporting infrastructure. But enforcing such restrictions can also involve a significant use of force, including destroying anti-air defenses or shooting down aircraft.)
While diplomats and national leaders, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli P.M. Naftali Bennett (who flew to Moscow on the Jewish Sabbath, despite being a practicing Orthodox Jew) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have all met with President Putin; here at home we have the likes of South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham calling for someone to assassinate the Russian president, and Fox News entertainer Tucker Carlson acting like Putin’s “Tokyo Rose.” And of course, the vast majority of Congressional Republicans are telling their constituents that it’s President Biden’s many weaknesses that are what gave Putin the idea of invading Ukraine in the first place.
And here we are, beset with what physicians call malaise, feeling confused and angry to the point of catatonia and wondering “what in the world can we do to help end this nightmare?
Enter the Talmudic sage Rabbi Tarfon who, lived sometime between 70 CE and 135 CE. His most famous bit of wisdom can be found in the Mishnaic work Pirke Avot (“The Ethics of the Fathers”), chapter 2, verse 16: "It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either.” It’s almost as if he’s speaking to us from across the centuries . . . not telling us precisely what to do, but rather reminding us that we should never sit idly by during an overwhelming crisis just because our actions cannot and/or will not solve it.
So what can we do to help shake our feelings of anger, inadequacy and utter helplessness?
One of the best ways to be of assistance is through making a donation. There are any number of organizations collecting and distributing food, clothing, emergency healthcare, transportation, toys and housing for the millions of Ukrainians currently undergoing the worst crisis of their lives. As of today (March 8), more than 2 million Ukrainians have fled their native land and headed mostly to Poland (which is being, for the most part, wonderfully welcoming), Romania, Bulgaria and parts further west.
Now mind you, whenever and wherever devastation rears its ugly head, scammers are not too far behind, gobbling up tens of millions of dollars, Euros, shekels and other donations in order to line their pockets. If there is a Hell, it is meant for them. But please, don’t let the fear of being scammed keep you from making a donation to any of the charitable organizations we’re going to be listing below. For those who do not yet know, there is a wonderful online organization called Charity Navigator, which is to 501c3 organizations what “Snopes” is to the world of political facts fiction and conspiracy theories: it investigates thousands upon thousands of charitable organizations from top to bottom, and then rates them on a scale of one to five stars. If a group, such as the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, receives the coveted 5-star rating, you can give without worry.
What follows are five 5-star rated eleemosynary (charitable) organizations playing a large role in the Ukrainian crisis. For your convenience, each bulleted entry begins with a live link.
Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: Founded way back in 1914, “The Joint” began with a cablegram requesting the American Jewish community’s support in aiding starving Jews in Ottoman-era Palestine; it continues to serve as a beacon of hope for Jews and others in 70 countries today. It is the oldest such organization in the world.
World Central Kitchen: Founded in 2010 by José and Patricia Andrés, the good folks of WCK are guided by the principle that “ . . . food relief is not just a meal that keeps hunger away. It’s a plate of hope. It tells you in your darkest hour that someone, somewhere, cares about you. This is the real meaning of comfort food. It’s why we make the effort to cook in a crisis.
Doctors Without Borders: Recipient of the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize, DWB (Medicins Sans Frontieres) describes itself as “An independent, global movement providing medical aid where it’s needed most." With regards to Ukraine, DWB is up and running in the port city of Odessa and in Warsaw.
Direct Relief: According to its website, the 5-star rated charity “. . . is working directly with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and other partners in the region to provide requested medical aid, from oxygen concentrators to critical care medicines – while preparing to offer longer-term medical aid to people displaced or affected by the conflict.”
The International Rescue Committee: Founded at the call of Albert Einstein in 1933, the IRC now works in over 40 crisis-affected countries as well as communities throughout Europe and the Americas. They deliver lasting impact by providing health care, helping children learn, and empowering individuals and communities to become self-reliant. They have a special project honing in on the needs of Ukraine.
This list is, of course, far from exhaustive. There are many other sites collecting funds for Ukraine as well as “Go Fund Me” sites who likewise are aiming funds specifically for the war-torn democracy. Please remember to check out as best you can any organization or charity seeking your hard-earned dollars for the people of Ukraine. If you need assistance evaluating a charity please email me and I will try to lead you in the right direction.
And please, keep in mind the wisdom of Rabbi Tarfon.
To repeat: "It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either.”
Copyright©2020 Kurt F. Stone