Elderly

Imagine you are old and infirm, living on a meager pension of less than $100 per month. You need medicine to survive, but you cannot afford it because what little money you have goes toward food. A harsh winter is approaching, but you have no money to purchase heating fuel for your stove, the sole source of warmth in your tiny apartment. If you could only afford one of these - food, medicine, or heat - which would you choose?

The scenario above may sound shocking, but for elderly Jews in the former Soviet Union it is all too common. The Fellowship's Isaiah 58 program helps these desperate people by providing them with food, clothing, medical care, and other essentials.

The Gift of Hope

Yevgeniya, 63, lives in the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan with her daughter and grandson. The entire family occupies an old two-room apartment in dire need of repair. Yevgeniya's medical problems forced her into early retirement. She now spends her time caring for her young grandson… Read More

No Longer Alone—Thanks to Isaiah 58

Susana, an elderly Jew in the former Soviet Union, struggled daily with poverty, isolation, and loneliness. Find out how a local center funded by The Fellowship's Isaiah 58 program transformed her life by providing her with food, medicine, and companionship. Read More

Yida: A Break To Her Loneliness

Yida, born in Ukraine in 1931, grew up in a very religious Jewish family. Her parents strictly observed the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays, and took Yida and her three siblings to synagogue every week. Yida especially remembers the family's bright and joyous Purim and Hanukkah celebrations.… Read More

Syla: A true heroine receives life-giving support

Syla is a poor Jewish widow living by herself in a dilapidated, two-room shack in Ukraine. Her house has no electricity or running water and she suffers from numerous medical problems. You would not guess it from looking at her, but Syla is a true heroine whose inspirational story of bravery deserves to be told to the world… Read More

Rachel: Angels are Here on Earth

In 1942, Rachel Leah, a Russian Jew, lived through one of the most terrible chapters in all of World War II: the Nazi blockade of Leningrad (today called St. Petersburg). She survived the siege, but at the end of the war contracted polio and spent many years bedridden and totally dependent on her sister. When her sister died, Rachel Leah's hope died with her… Read More

Ruth: A Helping Hand

Ruth, an elderly Ukrainian Jew, owns very little. Her most prized possessions are the old black and white photos that sit in her kitchen—the only pictures she has to remember her family, all of whom have passed away… Read more