Even in Crisis, Tradition to Care for Others Continues

Lina, a leader of the Turkish Jewish community, is proud of the self-sufficiency that has sustained her community for centuries. So, she sadly acknowledges the effects of Turkey's economic crisis on families and community benefactors - the loss of income, livelihood and, ultimately, the ability to contribute to Jewish life - that have shaken Turkish Jewry to its core.

But with JDC help, the community has been able to continue its tradition of caring for its own members and for other Jews in need, despite these precarious times. Each Pesach, Turkish Jews send matzah to their brethren in neighboring Armenia. And when the Jews of Bulgaria had their sifrei torah stolen, the Turkish community joined a global Jewish effort to secure replacements.

"Our community is going through a very difficult period," says Lina, "but the JDC has been an important partner in helping us keep our foundation strong. This gives us hope to look past the crisis and into the future."