Not All Homes Are Intended to Be Temporary: Thinking About Ukraine During Sukkot

Sukkot asks us to reflect on the fragility of shelter and the meaning of home. For millions of Ukrainians, those questions are not symbolic. Nearly five years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, many people - including older adults - continue to live in damaged homes, with broken windows, inadequate heat, and the constant uncertainty of war. Drawing on his visit to Ukraine and the work of World Jewish Relief, David Weisberg will share stories from the people behind the headlines and consider what Sukkot can teach us about our responsibility to those for whom insecure shelter is a daily reality.

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David I. Weisberg is Executive Director of World Jewish Relief USA, where he is building national visibility and philanthropic support for the organization’s more than 90-year legacy of protecting lives and livelihoods in vulnerable communities around the world.

A nonprofit leader for more than three decades, David has generated over $100 million in resources for humanitarian, social justice, environmental, and Jewish communal causes. He is known for guiding organizations through growth and transition, cultivating high-level partnerships, and serving as a compelling public voice for mission-driven work.

David is the author of Border Song, about witnessing the refugee crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border, and David’s Chopped Liver, recounting his journey as an altruistic living liver donor. A longtime advocate for the arts, he has produced festivals and benefit concerts featuring award-winning artists and proudly notes that he once made Mother Teresa laugh.