Yana grew up in Ukraine, where she attended a small Jewish school that shared a building with another community school. The two schools were separated by a net – and sometimes children on the other side threw things at the Jewish students and yelled anti-Semitic slurs at them. Sometimes they threw knives, and the police had to be called to control the situation. Similarly, when there weren’t enough crops, the locals blamed the Jews.

“I felt I couldn’t live openly as a Jew,” Yana says. “People would make comments when they found out – it stopped conversation. They’d say, ‘oh, you’re a Jew,’ and things got uncomfortable.”

When Yana’s father was diagnosed with cancer, he moved to Israel to take advantage of the stronger medical care. Yana’s mother and brother moved with him, but Yana stayed behind to finish her schooling and get married. When she got the opportunity to visit Israel for several months through a Fellowship-sponsored program, she was inspired to stay.

“There were so many more opportunities for me in Israel,” Yana says. “And I was so grateful to Israel for the care that my father received.”

Yana now lives in Be’er Sheva, where anti-Semitic slurs are a thing of the past. “Thank you so much,” she says to The Fellowship’s supporters. “I couldn’t have moved here without you.”

When you give to On Wings of Eagles, you help ensure that people experiencing injustice – like Yana – have a helping hand. Instead of experiencing hateful anti-Semitism, these people can make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) with help from The Fellowship, and live freely as Jews in the Holy Land.

Please consider acting justly throughout the year by becoming one of our monthly supporters.