In the course of helping Jews in the former Soviet Union emigrate to Israel, 'The Fellowship' made a very disturbing discovery. More than 300,000 Soviet Jews, too elderly to go home to Israel, were living in shocking poverty, with barely enough food, warm clothing, and heating fuel to keep them alive. Many also lacked the basic medicines they needed for their serious illnesses.
Two out of three of these needy Jews were also alone,
with no family members to help them. Many lost
relatives - murdered either by the Nazis or the Soviet
Communists. And over 80 percent of these elderly
Jews were struggling to survive on government
pensions of as little as 10$ a month. Today, the near-
total collapse of the Russian economy has plunged
these older people into greater poverty. They often
go months without receiving their pensions at all,
meaning no money for food, medicine, or heat in
the bitterly cold winter. As the scope of this problem
came to light, it became increasingly obvious to us in
'The Fellowship' that something had to be done to
help save these elderly Soviet Jews while there was
still time. So an urgent call for help was sent out
immediately to our caring ministry partners.
Thousands of friends like you responded with
compassion, enabling us to launch the program
known as Isaiah 58. This lifesaving project provides
food and basic necessities to sustain elderly Soviet
Jews. And when the economy in Argentina collapsed
and plunged tens of thousands into dire poverty, 'The
Fellowship' responded to these pleas for help by
expanding our Isaiah 58 care to include destitute
Argentinean Jews.
"Divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the
homeless poor into the house; when you see the
naked, cover him; and do not hide your eyes from
your own flesh." Isaiah 58:7
