Moldova

Overview
Moldova became independent from the former Soviet Union in 1991. It is a dramatically poor nation, with a third of its population living in poverty. Moldova has no natural energy resources of its own and is entirely dependent on Russia for energy needs.

The economy is primarily based on agriculture. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Moldova has been able to create important trade associations with European Union member nations that now make up a quarter of its trade. Moldova has also created an emerging but respected wine industry.

Despite these gains, Moldova and its economy suffer from a range of issues that have kept most Moldovans in poverty. For instance, some 25% of the population works abroad and sends money home. These annual remittances of US$1 billion account for almost 40% of Moldova’s GDP – the second largest remittance percentage in the world.

Need
Moldova is one of the former Soviet Union’s poorest countries. A quarter of Moldovans live on less than US$2 a day, and about 66% of the Jewish population suffer from severe economic hardships.

The Jewish community is also an aging community, with the elderly comprising almost a quarter of the total Jewish population. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in market prices since their fixed income is already well below what is necessary for basic needs.

Response
JDC has been working in Moldova for two decades and strives to develop community self-sustainability and collective responsibility in all aspects of Jewish life. JDC’s efforts include:

• Day centers that provide meals, medical care, exercise, physical therapy, lectures, and social activities for elderly clients
• Hesed welfare center SOS funding that provides help for urgent medical and other one-time special needs, including critical home repairs
• Food cards administered through the Hesed
• Programs for children, including an after-school program for children at risk and a day center and integration camps for children with special needs
• Jewish renewal programs such as a youth club that trains madrichim (counselors) and volunteers, family retreats, and weekend Shabbat retreats

Impact
The need is great in Moldova but JDC has managed to provide significant resources to the at-risk of the Jewish community. Some of what JDC provides includes:

• Welfare programs in 73 cities including four Hesed welfare centers
• Approximately 40,000 meals-on-wheels delivered annually
• More than 500 clients receive over 130,000 home care hours each year

JDC also supports the Kishinev Jacobs Jewish Campus, which opened in 2005 and is the hub of local Jewish life. The Campus houses the Kedem Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Family Services, a Hesed welfare center, a Hillel student center, and the Center for Training and Professional Development. The combined efforts and services are helping the Jews of Moldova to envision a future that is free of economic hardships and poverty and allows them to ensure a Jewish future for younger generations.

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