Columbia Jewish Federation provides earthquake relief for Turkey, Syria

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —It’s now been five days since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria.

According to ABC News, more than 23,000 people have died.

As rescue missions continue, people around the world are reaching out to help. That includes people right here in the Midlands.

The nonprofit group Columbia Jewish Federation along with the national non-profit group Jewish Federations of North America, has started an earthquake relief fund to provide aid overseas.

Ana Sazonov is Columbia Jewish Federation’s Executive Director.

She says the funds go to their partner organizations on the ground — directly supporting the Turkey and Syrian people through this crisis.

“The Jewish community, Jews in general — we serve the value of Tikkun Olam. And at Columbia Jewish Federation this is one of the values –that we’re there to serve. Tikkun Olam — repairing the world. And we do it at home, in Israel, and around the world. And whenever there is a need we’re going to step up and do our work. And we welcome everyone to join us,” Sazonov says.

According to Sazonov, anti-Semitism still plays a role in casting negative ideas around the Jewish community.

“One of the reports from the AJPP report, they show that about 20% of the American population thinks that Jews only do things for the Jewish community. And when we have a crisis like this, this is our obligation to show the rest of the world that we do things for everybody, not only for our own community, because these are the values that we serve. We serve the value of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, and we’re there for others — not only for ourselves,” Sazonov says.

Sazonov is also Ukrainian and Israeli. She says the federation continues to support Jewish and non-Jewish Ukrainians in their fight against tyranny.

“We cannot stop. And we have to continue life, as-is. Because if we stop, or be afraid or be scared of being who we are. If it’s my personal identity of being a Ukrainian Israeli and a Jew, basically the enemy won. So we’re going to keep going,” Sazonov says.

And, she says, keep going for as long as it takes. “Same thing with Syria and Turkey. As long as needed, we’re going to be there,” Sazonov says.

Sazonov will step down as Executive Director of Columbia Jewish Federation in March. She will take over as Chief Development Officer at the non-profit group Ukrainian Patriot.

You can also catch her podcast on Spotify called “Ukraine-Voices From Within” with Maxym Panchenko.