Report from the field:

Here is the current situation as of Febuary 2003

 
The past year and a half has been very difficult for us, because of the weaker economy as well as the effects ofSeptember 11th 2001. While our giving has been down, we have found ways to do more with less.  Last summer we had to close or curtail many of our soup kitchens, keeping only the most critical ones running, in order to save money.  By the fall, we reopened almost all soup kitchens. The winter months are hardest for our people because of the extreme poverty and the brutal winters ofEastern Europe.
 Many of the people we visit and help are living on pensions of eight to ten dollars a month.  They have to decide between buying medicine or food. Many do not have adequate heat in their apartments. The soup kitchens do more than just put food in their stomachs; they give them something to look forward to. They get dressed up, come to the kitchens, and sit and talk with each other.
 It gives them a reason to live, so they aren’t just sitting in their apartments waiting to die. Many of these people wear medals they received during the war. They were war heroes. Others are holocaust survivors. When we meet them and invite them to our soup kitchens, they are often alone and without hope or help.  It is exciting to see the transformation in their lives that some food and companionship can make.  
 
UKRAINE
 
Ukraine has the largest Jewish population in the Former Soviet Union.  The largest part of our work is there.  While we have always been of the opinion that G-d watches over our work, one of the workers who supervises one of our kitchens related an amazing story.  Their kitchen is located in a big hall of an old hotel. The government gave them permission to use it exclusively for our work, which feeds about 200 people daily.

The commissioner in charge of such matters had two friends who wanted to use the space for a disco, and get rid of our soup kitchen. He told the hotel manager that he would have to get rid of the soup kitchen.  He told our worker the situation, and she said this kitchen is important, and he can not do this. The manager said, “You think you are more powerful than this man?” She said, “We’ll see.” She went home and prayed “Dear G-d, only you can help us.”    That night, the manager gave these two men the best suite in the hotel, they got drunk and trashed it. When the manager saw what they did, he went to the commissioner and said “How can I give this room to these men if they will tear up our hotel like this?”

The commissioner said to give it to the soup kitchen. They now have the space permanently, and people spend their day there. They have asked for a TV and VCR so they can watch videos while they are there.  We have added two workers to travel around visiting our different groups to report on the situations and needs. They are doing very well, and we are able to be more efficient in our work. We are looking to add an additional worker in the spring, as funds permit.
 
BELARUS
 
We have maintained our soup kitchens inMinsk and Grodna and have supplied aid to Jewish organizations for the holidays for cities in the Gomel region. On a recent visit, we were able to visit many of the homebound. There was a woman who had both legs amputated, but she was grateful for our help and very happy. We meet many such people and find great pleasure in helping them. They brighten our day more than we do theirs. We bring many of the infirmed people to sanitoriums (health centers) where they can get therapy. When visiting we met two Righteous Gentiles (Gentiles who helped save Jews during the holocaust), and we sponsor them as well. 
     
MOLDOVA
 
The situation inMoldova is severe. We are operating 3 soup kitchens in Kishenev, the capital, and one in another city. The area is so impoverished, the people literally have nothing. We are doing as much as we can, but the need is far greater than we can bear.
 
ISRAEL
 
At the present time, we are operating five group homes for elderly Russian Holocaust survivors, and despite the terrorism, the people are well and happy there. Because of finances, we have had to let go several of our workers, but the other workers are taking up the slack. We need to do more, but lack the funds at the present time.
 
RUSSIA
 
We are maintaining our soup kitchens inMoscow and other cities. As things have begun to stabilize economically, it is easier to work in this republic. We are unable to expand for lack of funds.
 
  Needless to say, your support of this work is desperately needed, and will be used to fund our projects.