Clara's Symphony It is late afternoon, and Clara sits at her piano.  Today, she plays music to reflect her mood, a bubbling etude that brings joy to the room.  It’s a challenging piece, but no matter. This is a woman to whom challenge is second nature. Since the early days of glasnost, Clara, a music teacher-turned-activist, has embodied the spirit of kehilla (Jewish communal life).  When war and unrest struck Azerbaijan, Clara knew she could not sit back and watch scores of her fellow Jews fall victim to poverty and strife.  She organized a women’s group to care for the needy, but it was severely limited by lack of funds.  Clara implored the leaders of her synagogue for help. She contacted what remained of the city’s "authorities."  She finally went door to door, trying to raise funds. Clara got nowhere.  Not even her own synagogue, whose leaders expressed doubts about the value of a "women’s" group, would support her.  The turning point came when JDC arrived.  Recognizing the potential of the nascent women’s organization, JDC taught Clara and her team skills to launch successful programs and to develop a communal infrastructure.  The women responded with enthusiasm.  They arranged for home visits to the old and lonely and began a visiting nurse program.  Soon a Friday Shabbat dinner program for seniors evolved.  Then a team of Jewish doctors was organized to provide care to the needy, free of charge. A clinic was set up in the synagogue, and a day care center for Jewish children was established. Together, Clara, her volunteers and JDC created a radiant "symphony of caring" to help heal the deeply wounded Jewish community in the ravaged city of Baku.