Unfortunately our speaker for tomorrow night for the Ukraine relief event canceled. 

Jewish Relief Network Ukraine

Join us Oct. 26 at 7pm as we learn from Judi Garrett who will teach us about the relief efforts lead by Chabad Lubavitch in Ukraine. While we don't normally partner with Chabad, they are doing excellent work in Ukraine and surrounding countries to support Jewish and non-Jewish Refugees.


For more than 200 years, Ukraine has been home base for Chabad-Lubavitch, maintaining and protecting the Jewish communities under Czarist Russia and Communist Russia. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Chabad has sent hundreds of rabbis and rebbetzins who created thriving Jewish communities in cities and villages throughout the country. Before the war broke out Chabad made critical preparations inside the communities; when the first rocket launched, we immediately evacuated tens of thousands of people , and provided food and shelter to many more. Throughout the war, the network of rabbis, staff, and volunteers have worked tireless to support more than 30,000 people with critical humanitarian aid, evacuate two orphanages, send kids to camps and much more. This work is ongoing and expanding, as the number of displaced people increases and the situation further deteriorates. Jewish Relief Network Ukraine remains committed to the Jews of Ukraine; we will be there when the war ends to rebuild the vibrant communities, return people to their homes, and continue to expand our horizons. I will describe in detail the history of the Jewish communities in Ukraine, what has been happening during the war, current events, and hopes for the future.

Judi Garrett, Chief Operating Officer 

Judi Garrett has been leading organizations that help people for more than 30 years, first as a senior executive in the Federal Government and now as the Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine. Her experience directing an organization with 35,000 staff and a budget of $7 billion, combined with an extensive history partnering with non-profit organizations and public leaders, allows Judi to effectively implement the vision and mission for this humanitarian relief organization. In the past, Judi worked with the highest-level government officials in this country and abroad, on sensitive humanitarian issues including prison conditions, torture, civil society and human rights generally. Judi brings a wealth of knowledge about organizational structure, management and operations; legislative/political affairs; budgets; communications; and human resources.  

Judi spent several of her childhood years in Israel where she learned Hebrew and developed a deep love for the country and its people. Combined with the fact that her grandfather emigrated from Poland as a young man, Judi is grateful for the opportunity to work with and for Eastern European and Israeli Jews to make a positive difference in the lives of many.  

She has a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a proud mother of 6 incredible kids and lives outside Washington, DC, in Northern Virginia.