Enabling the Next Generation to Survive Even at 70 Years Old

For nearly 70 years, Itzik, an 84-year-old retired tailor, has lived in a small, two-room house in Iasi that once belonged to his in-laws. He spends more than half of his meager pension to heat his front room during the bitterly cold Romanian winter, leaving little for other basics, like food and clothing. Yet he manages day-to-day, thanks to the local Jewish community and JDC.

Still active, Itzik spends most of his time at the synagogue and at the JDC-supported kosher kitchen, where he eats daily. But the food packages have the greatest meaning for him. Not only do they ensure that his pantry has a few staples, like sugar and oil, but they also enable him to help his disabled daughter who, together with her husband and son, barely ekes out a living in Romania's struggling economy.

"By sharing the contents with my daughter," says Itzik, his voice cracking with emotion, "I use the food packages to keep us both alive. They give me the dignity of being able to care for my family, even at my age."