Mirroring a common reaction among fellow Jewish 10-year-olds in Minsk, Belarus, Pavel’s eyes light up with excitement at the mere mention of “Shemesh” Camp at his local Jewish Community Center (JCC). That’s because Pavel can’t wait to join his friends for a 10-day session of fun and Jewish learning that will include trips to parks, museums, movies, and other attractions around Minsk.
At age 25, Vera is one of the youngest JDC homecare workers assisting needy Jewish elderly in all of the former Soviet Union (FSU), but her compassion and determination belie her age. “My work gives me an amazing opportunity to get to know different people with different backgrounds. It is very rewarding, and I am happy to be able to help every person I meet,” she says.
When Sofia R., 54, first learned her only son had an autistic disorder, she gave up her job as a computer programmer to focus on his education. Despite his high IQ, his behaviorial issues kept him from being accepted to kindergarten or primary school—and there was no special educational framework for him anywhere in Moscow.
Marina is an only child. She shares a rundown two-room flat in Minsk, Belarus with her parents, both of whom are disabled and struggle to subsist on a monthly pension. The Jewish community has been this family’s lifeline since Marina was a young girl. In addition to providing her with basic food and medicines, JDC has enabled Marina to attend Jewish camp, participate in Hillel activities, and attend myriad programs at the local JDC-supported Jewish Community Center (JCC).
Nodar, 80, barely survived a critical injury and the destruction of his home in the Russo-Georgian war. Read how emergency assistance from JDC supported his recovery and helped him discover community for the first time.
To survive Moldova’s harsh January snowstorms, Tatiana, 11, and her family of five huddle desperately around the sole gas stove in their dilapidated apartment. Learn how JDC’s winter relief assistance is ensuring they will make it through this tough season.
In Kazakhstan, a country the size of Western Europe and where religious expression was suppressed for decades under Soviet rule, a huge spiritual resurgence is underway. And while the local population is almost evenly split between Russian Orthodoxy and Islam, the local Jewish community—50,000-strong, and by far the largest in the region—is undergoing a vibrant renaissance of its own, one Jew at a time.
Following her mother’s death, Katya was left alone to care for her blind father in their run-down apartment in Ukraine. Learn how JDC rescued this family and is reviving Katya’s Jewish future.
After a lifetime of hardship and loss, Zhanna was battling poverty and Ukraine’s brutal winters alone. Find out how a JDC Hesed social welfare center became her lifeline and helped break her isolation.
Nataliya is a single mom struggling to support her son with cerebral palsy. Find out how JDC brought this desperate family relief—and a sweet surprise—this Rosh Hashanah.