Hesed Centers In the Former Soviet Union (FSU)

Hesed centers throughout the former Soviet Union (FSU) have become a critical lifeline for the poorest Jews on earth. In 2002, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's (JDC’s) network of 174 Hesed welfare centers and 86 Hesed mobiles provided desperately needed services, among them homecare visits to some 27,500 and over 3.4 million meals on wheels to more than 15,300 homebound individuals. In 2008, Hesed provided over 5 million hours of homecare—assistance with daily tasks such as bathing, cooking, and cleaning—to more than 21,000 homebound individuals who have no other means of support or social contact.

But the diminishing purchasing power of the U.S. dollar means that each year presents a greater struggle to find adequate resources to meet their most fundamental needs. In spite of major efforts, we are not succeeding; the Hasadim have been removing needy elderly from the caseload in order to service those who are even needier.

Our challenges today are great and the needs of many destitute, lonely, elderly Jews in the FSU are going unmet. Together we must ensure that each of them—in nearly 3,000 cities, towns, and villages—will receive the assistance he or she needs and deserves.

Please help support the elderly in need by contributing to the Community Campaign which provides significant resources from our Seattle community to the former Soviet Union to meet these needs.