Third Anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia War Blog

‘The journey was interminable’. My grandfather had tears in his eyes as he recounted 65 years later the relief that a £50 bond had been posted for his safe arrival in the UK as a child refugee. Now, an 85-year-old memory shared with 10,000 Jewish children who fled Nazi Germany, most no longer alive, the Kindertransport was a tremendous Jewish humanitarian effort to provide protected routes for child refugees. It lit a light in the darkest period of Jewish history, even as most, would never see their parents again.

As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, my worldview has long been anchored in the belief that conserving refugees’ human rights is a historical obligation, bound by a present concern to sustain intergenerational commitments to children like my grandfather. Jewish identity, in its diversity and transformation in exile, has been connected through generations to a resilient history of survival from persecution. Part of this history has been lit by the unwavering kindness of the Righteous Among the Nations, who fought for the lives of others while risking their own.

The Kindertransport’s endeavour, inscribed into Britain’s national consciousness, was not the work of one man or one government, but the commitment of many ordinary individuals. A voluntary community-funded scheme, accomplished through British public support. A shared determination that cleaves to the very reason I and my siblings are here today.

Homes For Ukraine

As we mark the third anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia War, we are reminded of the same kindness of strangers that enveloped the country immediately following Russia’s invasion: spare rooms were emptied as Ukrainian flags were draped on windowsills across Britain, and hosts opened their homes to welcome over 200,000 Ukrainians seeking refuge in Britain. The Ukraine Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine and the Ukraine Extension government-led scheme could not have been possible without Britain’s public generosity. Jewish families were the largest minority group that hosted fleeing Ukrainian children and families, ensuring them a safe sanctuary in the UK.

However, as Ukraine resolutely enters another year of war, this anniversary marks a timely opportunity for the Jewish and wider British community to ensure that a sustainable mechanism for settling refugees in the UK community is put in place. At the end of last year, over 9,000 Ukrainian refugees had been reported homeless due to a reduction of hosts offering accommodation and bureaucratic hurdles preventing access to protections. The exact number this year is unknown, necessitating an urgent review of Council funding for Ukrainian refugees living in the UK.

Safe Routes

Families have laid down new roots and are reckoning with a new trauma of internal displacement as they continue to transition to a life beyond Ukraine. Some are still separated from their families and children with no home to return to.

Three years in, temporary status has only led to further instability. Visa schemes will begin to run out in the coming months, as the government recently announced funding cuts for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. While Ukrainians already living in the UK can apply for an extension four weeks before their documents expire, to stay another 18 months in the UK, parents are weighing up unimaginable choices: to lose their jobs and homes in Britain or return with their children to war. In Britain, we cannot accept Ukrainian refugees to continue to live in a state of limbo.

Though the Kindertransport and the Ukraine Resettlement Schemes saved the lives of many, they did not go far enough. Current safe routes are limited to those coming only from four countries – Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria and Hong Kong. This excludes refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war and/or persecution from other countries. We must not turn our back on Britain’s compassionate history of protection. The current Borders Bill must ensure legal and safe routes.

My grandfather had the opportunity to rebuild his life when others could not, and in doing so, enriched the communities that welcomed him. He lived and remained in Britain for 73 years until he passed. It may well be the smallest of gestures that can make the grandest of impacts on one life. Underpinned by Jewish values of solidarity, compassion and responsibility, it is the duty of every individual to open the door when a stranger in danger knocks and, more importantly, to leave that door open.

Take Action

If you would like to and are able to make a contribution to those still fleeing their homes and individuals unable to escape danger, please make a donation to the World Jewish Relief’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal, and learn more about the importance of legal and safe routes here.