Displaced

Interviews with 45 refugees at JCC Krakow

Veteran journalist and immigration expert interviews Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

Eight weeks after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 10 million people had been displaced from their homes, and three million had crossed the border into Poland. Tamar Jacoby arrived in Kraków intending to volunteer, maybe ladle soup or unpack boxes. Instead, she interviewed several dozen displaced Ukrainians. Some came from places where the war was raging--nonstop shelling, tanks in the streets. Others, often no less traumatized, had traveled from cities largely untouched by fighting.

It wasn't easy to listen to their stories. The pain and loss they had experienced sometimes seemed beyond comprehending. Still, in the end, what came across most powerfully was their determination and resilience. The hardest question they faced: what lies ahead? Is this just an interlude, a temporary stay abroad? Or am I starting a new life--starting over from scratch?

All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to JCC Krakow for humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian refugees.