September 17, 2009
By Staff

In a series of humanitarian campaigns that have been carried out in the Urals, the Jewish community of Yekaterinburg has yet again come to the aid of needy residents. This latest campaign, as for the ones carried out previous to this, was made possible through the financial support of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, otherwise known as the 'Keren Yedidut' Fellowship Foundation.

The lives of the beneficiaries of this aid program are literally changing thanks to the generosity of those who have contributed to the IFCJ, and especially to its founder and head, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. Chief Rabbi of Yekaterinburg Zelig Ashkenazi, who is also a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary serving in the region, oversaw the charitable campaign, which provided targeted support to the most disadvantaged and needy Jews of this Urals' capital.

Following the campaign, staff members of the local Jewish community received a series of letters, whereby recipients expressed their appreciation to the Foundation for their support and the care that they have demonstrated through their selfless actions. Alexandra Shapiro was thankful for aid received to help her 9-year-old son, Daniel, who studies as the Ohr Avner Chabad Day School. This aid enabled Elena Kuznetsova to buy clothes and shoes for the next season, while Marina Voronina obtained educational games for her 6-year-old daughter Carolina. Tatiana Stern acquired fruits and vegetables that allowed her to diversify her regular, very modest dietary intake. Additional letters of thanks were submitted by Tatiana Anchugova, Elena Puchalskaya, Raissa Rosenblum, the Yudovich family, and the Gorodetsky family.

Such humanitarian outreach is one of numerous projects maintained by the Jewish community of Yekaterburg in order to improve the lives of its members.