From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
UK chief rabbi urges ‘full support’ to plan to house Ukraine refugees in homes
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UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is urging the British Jewish community to give “their full support” to a government plan aiming to provide homes in the country to Ukrainian refugees fleeing war.
“Many Jews are alive today because people were prepared to open their borders and their homes to their ancestors when they were fleeing for their lives,” UK Jewish News quotes Mirvis as saying.
“Many more did not survive because not enough did. I urge all who are able to give this scheme their full support,” he says.
Nearly 89,000 Britons have expressed interest in hosting Ukrainian refugees as of Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after the launch of the “Homes for Ukraine” program.
The program enables individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to volunteer accommodation for refugees for a minimum of six months.
It is open to Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members and will allow them to live and work in the UK for up to three years and access healthcare, benefits and education.
Hosts, who will be given £350 ($457; 418 euros) a month, must submit the names of those they wish to sponsor, with NGOs and charities working to identify those most in need.
The UK has faced criticism over its policy towards those fleeing the violence in Ukraine, with places limited to those who already have family in the country.
AFP contributed to this report
The Times of Israel Community.