By Gabe Meyerson, Special to JTNews
I once had a Jewish friend that lived in the projects. I remember I was 13 years old and was surprised that Jews actually live in the ‘hood. Boy, was I naïve. Jews in America today enjoy the highest quality of living, economic and social status than Jews living almost anywhere in the past 2,000 years. However, this clouded my view into thinking Jews everywhere were well off.
This is decidedly not true. One place where Jews have it hard is Kiev, Ukraine.
I recently returned from a trip sponsored by United Jewish Communities, the umbrella group to Jewish federations nationwide, to Kiev and then Israel — two places where there are poor Jewish communities going through difficult times. The purpose of our trip was two-fold: one, to experience first-hand where money from American Jewish communities is spent throughout the world, and two, to train the group of 29 college students to be better advocates for Israel.
Kiev was a place of conflicting emotions. On one hand, it was sad and depressing to witness the results of the Nazi and Soviet regimes — a largely unaffiliated Jewish community with many elderly people living in poverty, the likes of which we in America are not accustomed to. Several homes have no running water, electricity or heat. We visited elderly Jews in their homes to bring them food packages that they literally could not survive without. Upon leaving, I thanked my long-deceased relatives who had the foresight to come to America.
On the other hand, however, I felt an extreme sense of joy and optimism. Where there was no Jewish community 15 years ago; soup kitchens now exist that feed more than 250,000 Jews in the former Soviet Union. Jewish kindergartens and schools have been started, healthcare and free medicine are available for the elderly, and an enormous safety net for Jews living in the area has been created.
In addition to the optimism and depression, there was simple cold. Ukraine in late December is like walking on a skating rink. The cold hits your lungs and it is difficult to breathe. Toes oscillate between painful and numb. I cannot imagine living in a state of poverty in such a climate. When I boarded the plane in Kiev to fly to Ben Gurion Airport, it was my happiest moment of the past year.
It was my second visit to Israel. My first was exactly four years to the day that I returned with UJC. The country felt different.
Cars were bigger, there were security guards outside every restaurant, and the national mood was depressed. Despite this, it was an incredible experience to be there, simply knowing we were supporting the Jewish people by returning.
Due to the current situation, UJC-supported programs have changed. Though there are still many homes for at-risk youth and absorption centers for new immigrants, a new program called Partnership 2000 links Jewish communities in the United States with geographical regions in Israel. This fosters a greater connection with young Israelis, something that has been on the decline for many years.
One of the new programs is called Fund For Terror Victims, and through the auspices of the Jewish Agency, money raised by world Jewry supports terror victims and their families.
We spoke with one woman that received money from the organization. In addition to the pain on her face from the loss of her son, it was clear that she was truly grateful for the support from the Jewish Agency.
It was powerful to actually see where tzedakah is spent — whether it was on the smile of an Ethiopian kindergartener, the filled pantry of a Ukrainian grandmother, or the gratitude of the mother of a terror victim. Amazing work is being accomplished, thanks in no small part to generous donations to Jewish federations across North America. Without support from American Jewish communities, Jews across the world would be in dire straights.
Gabe Meyerson is a senior at Emory University in Atlanta, majoring in Middle Eastern Studies, Jewish Studies and International relations. He grew up in Seattle.