Bringing Comfort to Sergei and Batya
“We couldn’t afford to pay rent, utilities, and food. We felt we were sinking..."
Sergei and Batya live in the same modest apartment in Ashkelon, Israel, that they’ve called home since moving to the Holy Land from Ukraine in 1993.
On their coffee table, the couple, now in their late eighties, displays rows of certificates and medallions from Sergei’s honourable service in the Red Army. Despite all the impressive memorabilia, his limp is the most potent reminder of the sacrifice he paid as a soldier.
“I was a wild and tough young man,” Sergei says with a mischievous smile. “I fought hard, got shot in the leg, went to surgery, rehab, and then back to the frontlines.” Sergei fought his way through the war, praying that he would have a family and home to return to after it was all over.
Even after the war ended, life continued to be a struggle as Jews were unwelcome guests in the former Soviet Union. “We Jews fought in the army, spilled blood defending the homeland, and yet we were treated like unwanted guests,” Sergei recalls bitterly.
Putting his life back together was not an easy task, but Sergei was a fighter. “I found work as a handyman, but I wanted more out of life I wanted to get married.”
Sergei met his wife, Batya, a few years after the war. “Batya was my lifesaver,” Sergei says as he gives his wife a loving glance. “We shared history and the pain and the beauty of being Jews in Ukraine, and so we decided to share our lives together.”
The two got married and started their own family. Though it seemed impossible that they would ever leave their communist community for freedom in Israel, in 1994, their dream came true.
“Our dreams, our hopes, and our prayers came true when we arrived in Israel,” Sergei says. “But it has been very hard for us to live without knowing how to speak Hebrew and without any savings or a decent pension.”
Sergei and Batya receive a small government pension and some reparation payments from Germany, but Israel’s high cost of living has taken a very hard toll on them. “We couldn’t afford to pay rent, utilities, and food. We felt we were sinking,” Sergei explains.
Thankfully, Sergei and his wife joined The Fellowship’s outreach to the elderly community. They now receive monthly food baskets as well as extra help during the holiday season.
“The food and household items we receive from The Fellowship have given us hope and renewed life,” Sergei says. “This aid has enabled us to have peace of mind. With the basic food and household items we’ve been getting from The Fellowship, we are able to breathe better.”
Your gift of food, clothing, and comfort will be a blessing to elderly in need.
