A STATEMENT FROM THE
GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION REGARDING ANTI-SEMITIC
FLYERS IN UKRAINE 

April 17, 2014

As has been widely reported in the media, flyers have been distributed in Donetsk, Ukraine, requiring Jews to "register with the Nationalities Commissioner and pay $50 or lose their citizenship and face deportation."

Federation's partner agency, NCSJ: Advocates on Behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia, has ascertained that the flyers have originated neither from the Ukrainian government nor from Donetsk's pro-Russian separatists led by Denis Pushilin, whose name appeared on the flyers. The distribution of such flyers by three masked individuals was seemingly an attempt to provoke unrest among the Jewish community by street-level vigilantes.

Clearly, any form of anti-Semitism is reprehensible, regardless of its source, and we condemn these blatant attacks on the Jewish community.

While monitoring this situation, our Federation, through our overseas partners, will continue to assist our fellow Jews in the Ukraine as they weather the devastating effects of the ongoing political crisis. Through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, we are providing essential humanitarian assistance to thousands of impoverished Jewish elderly and at-risk children and their families. In addition, our other overseas partner, The Jewish Agency for Israel, continues to provide information, support and transportation to the increasing numbers who are choosing to make aliyah to Israel. All of this is possible because of the significant infrastructure of services in place every day, funded by our Annual Federation/UJA Campaign.

As we are in the midst of Passover, we wish all our people a meaningful and joyful holiday. We pray for an end to the frightening instability and political, social and economic upheaval being experienced by the Jewish communities of Ukraine.

Brian L. Bilzin
Chair of the Board

Jacob Solomon
President & CEO