Temple Emanu-El on the Upper East Side welcomed five-time Golden Globe and three-time Emmy nominee Liev Schreiber for Friday Night Shabbat service on Jan. 19. The actor and director discussed humanitarian aid to Ukraine and America’s role in the conflict.
It’s been almost two years since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. So far, at least 10,000 Ukrainians have been killed, more than 18,500 have been injured, and millions have been displaced amid Ukraine’s valiant defense against the defenders.
The war created a massive humanitarian crisis in Ukraine; according to the United Nations, some 14.6 million people will require assistance there this year. Upon learning that roughly only 1% of direct humanitarian funding reached local volunteer groups, Schreiber and some of his friends founded BlueCheck Ukraine in March 2022 in an effort to expedite aid to where it is needed.
The “Ray Donovan” star and BlueCheck co-founder Michael Goldfarb told the congregation that BlueCheck identifies, vets, and fast-tracks urgent financial support to Ukrainian grassroots organizations providing emergency aid for Ukrainians. In return, every organization has to provide BlueCheck with updates on where the money is going and what it is used for. More than 90% of the funds BlueCheck raises go to the nongovernment organizations (NGO).
Since its inception, BlueChecks has supported more than 20 frontline organizations, including Tip of the Spear, a landmine removal project for Ukraine; Cash for Refugees, KidSave, and Project Victory. Schreiber pointed out that frontline organizations faced great risks.
“They’re the ones who are dodging bullets and missiles,” Schreiber said. “They’re the ones who are going and pulling elderly people out of their homes or bringing them warm kits.”
Schreiber elaborated that Project Victory was made up of American military veterans who initially went to Ukraine to teach skills on how to treat life-threatening injuries but ended up…
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