From Ukraine to Poland, Giving Back (and Finding Peace) with JDC

Yulia Kuzmenko fled Ukraine for Poland when she was eight months pregnant. Nearly three years later, she’s found solid ground beneath her feet, working as a nurse at the Lauder Morasha Jewish day school in Warsaw. Kuzmenko credits her journey out of conflict — and into the safety of a caring Jewish community — to JDC’s extensive humanitarian efforts. Now, she’s a key part of that work. 

Here’s her story. 

Children are my life and my life’s work. As the nurse here at the Lauder Morasha Jewish day school, I can vouch that they’re the best patients ever — they have such positive energy and always want to share it. I help them physically and emotionally. There’s always gratitude in their eyes.

My life is joyful now, but the journey that brought me here was anything but. 

On February 24, 2022, I was eight months pregnant. At the time, I was living in Zaporizhzhia, and on that awful day I woke early to deep, loud explosions. My husband left to find out about the situation, while our extended family gathered at our house to wait for further news. 

It was frightening: air-raid alerts, general panic, and uncertainty. We all felt lost.

I knew we had to leave. Giving birth in a basement shelter, as many of my friends had to do, was unthinkable. It’s difficult to even say this, but many of my friends ended up beneath rubble.

And so, we fled. My husband’s brother lives in Poland, and because I was pregnant, they decided I should stay there for just a couple weeks — we all thought this nightmare would end soon. We left on the train, in a compartment crammed with 20 people. To make such a trip under normal circumstances would stress anyone out. But I was in my third trimester.

Our trip proceeded in fits and starts. At Przemysl, Poland, we had to cross the border by train but the train was sent back to Lviv. We were dropped off in Lviv and we waited in the cold for eight hours until another train arrived. It took us another 12 hours for that train to take us back to Przemysl. 

There was no toilet, no water, no food. But we did it. We crossed the border and our friends met us there. There were many volunteers there, too, who immediately fed us and gave medicines for those who needed them and food for the children. 

It was fear for my unborn child, and that nagging feeling of uncertainty, that gave me strength to survive that journey. No matter what, I had to carry my child to term and make sure it was healthy.

Over time, I realized we wouldn’t return to Ukraine. I gave birth to my daughter, and the second or third week after she was born, with nowhere to go, I contacted JDC.  

I dialed their number — and after that, nothing was the same.

As the mother of a newborn, recovering from a recent pregnancy, I simply couldn’t work at that time. On top of that, I was in a new country where I didn’t speak the language. 

That’s why JDC’s help was so profound. I was immediately provided with food and financial assistance for bills. JDC even helped with the move. Friends and acquaintances of JDC staff also pitched in. It all came together like we were part of a big, supportive Jewish family!

The trauma support JDC gave me was equally valuable, helping me navigate difficult emotions from my time in Ukraine and the stresses of adjusting to a new country. JDC social workers always called or visited, ensuring I felt supported as my baby grew into a toddler. If something didn’t work out or some problems arose, the social workers were always in touch. 

Words can’t describe the scope and scale of JDC’s assistance. I feel safe and secure thanks to them, and if I have emergency expenses, I can turn to them and they will help us — I know they won’t abandon me and my daughter.  

After having received all of this help, I wanted to give even more. 

That’s what brought me to the Lauder Morasha Jewish day school here in Warsaw. As a nurse, I provide first-aid and other medical care to the children. Anything can happen, and as every parent knows, kids often get scratches or abrasions on the playground. They turn to me for help. 

But the most important first aid I provide is psychological. My office is always open to the students — we chat and drink tea together. They’ll come to me with a headache or a stomach pain, but more often they just want to talk and tell me about their problems. Building rapport and having meaningful interactions with children — this is just as crucial as the medical care I provide.

Working at Lauder Morasha, I now feel like a member of the JDC family. When I heard about this school, I was able to enroll my daughter in its daycare program. She was nine months old and JDC paid for it in full. Through Lauder Morasha, I got both childcare and a job. I was able to work, earn a living for my daughter, and feel supported, too. JDC even helped me draft my resumé! 

As one can imagine, the fact that I work where my child goes to daycare makes life so much easier. If I want to see her, all I have to do is go downstairs. ​​I love that she’s learning to speak and understand the world here, in this kindergarten, in this environment, surrounded by our people — our Jewish roots.

Now two years old, she’s a cheerful toddler who energizes all of us — she already knows so much! — but I know the world she’s growing up in can be so much better than it is now. 

I hope people become more conscious of each other, that they stop chasing after things that don’t matter. Many people don’t hear what’s right around them or see what’s right in front of them. They don’t appreciate their families, their children, or their communities. 

We can change this today. I know that when this conflict ends, if another Jew needs my support, I will be there. 

I will be the first to help.

Yulia Kuzmenko is a Ukrainian refugee and a nurse at the Lauder Morasha Jewish day school in Warsaw, Poland.

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