Keeping Hope Alive

IFCJ Canada  |  July 30, 2026

This past week, we visited the home of 95-year-old Basya.

Basya has lived alone on the sixth floor of her apartment building in Lviv for nearly 60 years. Having never married or had children, her closest companion throughout her life was her mother.

Basya was 10 years old when World War II began and was living with her Jewish family in Kyiv. Her father was drafted into the Red Army and was killed in action. As the war reached her hometown, Basya and her mother were evacuated to central Russia. She doesn’t remember the battles or Nazi attacks during that time, only the hunger.

Basya remembers the meagre food rations her mother brought home from the collective where she worked: “My mother was bringing home five small potatoes. Thanks to those five small potatoes, we survived. Those were the happiest days because we had something better to eat.”

Her mother also planted potatoes in their garden, but before they could harvest them, neighbourhood children dug them up and took them. Basya remembers that her mother was never angry because she knew those children were just as hungry as they were.

Today, Basya’s mother has long since passed away, as have most of her friends. Loneliness is one of her greatest struggles, which is why regular visits and support mean so much to her.

Basya receives regular home care visits, food assistance, and access to the care she needs while living with lung disease and asthma.

“Every time somebody comes here, it’s like a holiday for me,” Basya says. “I feel alive again. Thanks to your help, I am alive today.”

Even in times of crisis, IFCJ Canada’s support never falters because of the generosity of faithful donors who make these efforts possible. Be a part of this lifesaving work today and help make a difference for Holocaust survivors like Basya.