Their Fight Is Our Fight – A Wartime Cry to Save the Jewish People

“Their Fight Is Our Fight” – The Poster that Mobilized American Jewry to Rescue Holocaust Survivors

During the dark years of the Second World War, while Europe was engulfed in destruction and millions of Jews were trapped under Nazi rule, a powerful call for solidarity emerged across the Atlantic. In the United States, Jewish communities launched massive campaigns to raise funds for rescue and relief. One of the most striking visual symbols of this effort was the dramatic poster titled “Their Fight Is Our Fight – Give Today,” issued by the organization United Jewish Appeal.

More than a fundraising advertisement, this poster became a visual declaration of responsibility. It conveyed a profound message: the struggle of European Jews was not theirs alone—it belonged to the entire Jewish people.

A Refugee Family as the Face of a Tragedy

At the center of the poster stands a Jewish refugee family: a father, mother, and young child. The father carries a small suitcase—likely the last possession he was able to take with him as he fled his home. His expression is grave, reflecting both exhaustion and determination. Beside him stands the mother, wrapped in a coat and a red scarf, symbolizing dignity amid displacement.

The child holds a book—an understated but powerful symbol of continuity, education, and the hope that Jewish life will endure beyond the catastrophe.

Behind them stretches a dramatic background of helmets and wartime imagery, evoking the battlefield. Above the family, large bold letters proclaim:

THEIR FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT

The colors—red, white, and blue—mirror the patriotic visual language of American wartime propaganda posters. By adopting this aesthetic, the poster connects the fate of Jewish refugees with the broader Allied struggle against Nazism.

The message is unmistakable: the fight against Nazi tyranny is also a fight to save the Jewish people.

The Organization Behind the Campaign

The poster was produced as part of a major fundraising campaign organized by United Jewish Appeal (UJA), founded in 1939 on the eve of World War II.

The UJA served as a unified fundraising framework that brought together several major Jewish humanitarian institutions, including:

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee – the principal international Jewish relief organization

• Jewish Agency for Israel – responsible for supporting Jewish settlement and immigration to Palestine

• United Palestine Appeal – dedicated to building and sustaining the Jewish community in the Land of Israel.

By coordinating their efforts, these organizations created a powerful fundraising network that mobilized Jewish communities across the United States.

Aid During the Holocaust

During the war years, American Jewish organizations worked tirelessly to assist Jews trapped in Europe. Despite the immense logistical and political obstacles, funds were transferred through neutral countries such as Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal.

This aid supported:

• Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi-controlled territories

• Relief supplies for Jewish communities in Europe

• Rescue initiatives and clandestine assistance programs.

In many cases, these funds were crucial for sustaining Jewish life under desperate circumstances.

After the War: Rebuilding Lives

When the war ended in 1945, the scale of the devastation became fully visible. Hundreds of thousands of Jewish survivors were left without homes, families, or communities. Many were housed in Displaced Persons camps across Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Through the funds raised by UJA campaigns like the one represented in this poster, Jewish relief organizations established:

• hospitals and medical clinics

• schools and cultural institutions

• vocational training programs

• food distribution and housing assistance.

These efforts played a critical role in helping survivors rebuild their lives.

At the same time, funds were directed toward facilitating immigration to the Land of Israel. Many Holocaust survivors who later helped build the State of Israel were initially supported through these relief networks.

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A Historic Philanthropic Effort

The fundraising campaigns organized by the United Jewish Appeal became some of the largest philanthropic mobilizations in Jewish history. Communities across the United States participated through synagogue drives, public rallies, newspaper campaigns, and radio broadcasts.

In the years immediately following the war, these campaigns raised hundreds of millions of dollars—an enormous sum at the time. The funds were used to rescue, sustain, and rebuild the lives of countless Jewish survivors.

A Poster that Captures a Moment of Jewish Solidarity

Today, posters such as “Their Fight Is Our Fight” stand as powerful visual testimonies to a historic moment when American Jewry mobilized to aid their brethren in Europe. Beyond its striking design, the poster captures a deeper truth about the Jewish experience in the twentieth century: that even across oceans and continents, the fate of the Jewish people remained intertwined.What began as a call to donate ultimately became something more enduring—a symbol of responsibility, unity, and hope during one of the darkest chapters in human history.