Varlen, 82, can still remember the power of the Nazi’s boot kicking his side before he was sent into forced labor for the German war machine. He was only 13, but his experiences in German-occupied Kiev transformed his adolescence into a daily battle for survival that he still recounts in vivid detail.
At his elementary school, Sammy is just one of many students from struggling homes—recent immigrants from the Caucuses, single-parent families, parents with chronic illnesses or addictions, victims of second- or third-generation poverty, and more recently, migrant workers.
Facing a moment of significant change and challenges, the Jewish community of Venezuela is being steered through today’s realities by its dedicated leaders, with steadfast support from JDC.
“It is very important that we are not alone. We are in a Jewish and secure place,” explains Messod, an elderly resident at the Levine Community Residence built by JDC in Morocco. “I feel safe here, and if I need anything, I know I can get help.”
Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia in the years after the fall of Communism, Masha Sergeeva, 21, grew up with limited understanding of—or pride in—her Jewish identity. That’s all changed now.
“As a child I couldn’t imagine coming to terms with my disability,” says Hanaa, 32, who was born congenitally blind, the youngest of six children in an Israeli Arab family with limited means. “But once I did, I realized I could derive motivation from it and go far.”
"This family has gone from dependency to self-sufficiency—and is now able to help others." That's how their mentor described Danny and Tseganesh Bruk of Rishon LeZion, recent graduates of a three-year JDC empowerment program for Ethiopian-Israelis.
Rafi came to Ulus as a first-grader, but after his parents divorced and finances for his single mom grew thin, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to remain there to complete his education—even though he anticipated the incredible opportunities it could offer him.
At the end of a long dirt road departing from Gori, a small war-ravaged town in Georgia’s countryside, Lela, 22, awaits her visitors excitedly. She has put on her nice blouse, only necklace, and brightest smile. For this young woman who suffers from partial paralysis and spends the majority of her days in her crumbling home, this visit is the highlight of her week.
For the past two years, the Minevas’ downward spiral has mirrored Bulgaria’s economic decline—and now both have reached a critical tipping point. Mihaela, 40, proud mom of 15-year-old Monica, never imagined her family would plunge into poverty. In 2010, Mihaela’s husband lost his construction business and abandoned the family. The same year, her father lost his small grocery shop and suffered a heart attack.