Reach Out Summer 2017

Jewish values, global response 2

There are, of course, parts of I am hugely proud that my job that are difficult and while the bulk of our efforts complex, particularly as charity are targeted at helping a management rightly comes vulnerable Jewish client group, under ever more scrutiny to be at times of major international accountable and transparent. disaster - in true Jewish Costs must be kept low, tradition - we reach beyond changing data protection our community and show the legislation must be complied world that we care. I recently with, services must remain heard from our fabulous cost-effective and ultimately we partner agency in northern must provide value for money Kenya which, thanks to our in the support we provide to community’s support, was those we help. providing water and food to starving women and children Yet I am lucky to get the facing a looming famine. I’m opportunity to travel to amazed once again by our Paul Anticoni , , and Jewish desire to save lives other remote locations and be wherever we can. reminded of why we do what Chief Executive we do. It is humbling and My passion for this inspiring to travel for hundreds organisation is fuelled not of miles through rural Ukraine only by those we help but by to an isolated farming village those who help us to help. I and find an elderly Jewish was humbled recently to see lady who is housebound, marathon runners breaking receiving regular visits from their bodies in support of our Without a doubt I have one our homecare worker who she cause, 12 year olds allocating refers to as “her angel”. The part of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah of the best jobs in the Jewish homecare worker brings her presents to our projects, shopping, provides her with couples getting married community. Even after more reading material, cleans her encouraging donations over small wooden house, cooks gifts and thousands of others than 10 years leading this for her, washes her clothes, responding to our Pesach remarkable organisation you relates news from the nearest appeal or other fundraising Jewish Community Centre and, initiatives. Those acts of seldom hear me complain. I most importantly, holds her kindness, the love of helping hand and gives her company. others, the knowledge that each am lucky to wake up every I calculated that one hour’s and every one of us can change homecare in Ukraine costs just someone’s life, is a driver for morning and feel a sense of £3 – immeasurably cheaper me to try and do even more. than the same provision here. purpose in my responsibilities, Without such simple practical One day technology will enable support, the older Jewish client all of our supporters to meet knowing that whatever the wouldn’t be alive today. I always and hear from those we help; reflect with amazement how we to hear their story, feel their issue or however menial the are able to convert a donation struggle and participate in their coming through our letterbox future. In the meantime let me task, there is a greater goal into the delivery of such a say a big thank you on their service. One recipient out of behalf for all your help. You beyond it. over 80,000 who benefited from cannot imagine the difference our help last year. it makes.

Thank you. 3

Relative Values

Ingrid Silver, 44, and her son Danny, 12, recount the experience of receiving historical records of family members who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe with the help of World Jewish Relief.

German, why we use certain quirky words, why we eat our Ingrid traditional foods. Sitting at my desk late one night I saw an email from World Jewish Relief explaining the archives project. So I emailed my It was very surreal opening the files, but it made it all much more grandparents’ names, as well as my grandfather’s sister and real and concrete – things that had never been clear, like how grandmother’s mother and the dates of birth I knew. The very long it was between each of my grandparents’ arrivals in London, next day papers came through. I printed them out and that Friday because they had to come separately. The way my grandmother night I passed them around the table. Sharing that on Shabbat had talked about it made it seem like it was such a long time was special in itself, so life-affirming and meaningful considering when in reality it was just two months. I guess for newlyweds that what happened to my family because they were Jewish. seems a long time!

I loved showing Danny that these people existed, and bringing Without these files I wouldn’t have fully understood the logistics them to life in some way. With Danny preparing for his Bar of coming here. I knew they were helped but didn’t realise Mitzvah and becoming even more aware of his Jewish identity, World Jewish Relief was the same organisation that helped my it’s a fitting time for him to place his own story and life in the grandparents then. When I look at my kids I’m reminded that wider context of his family background. Seeing their names, without World Jewish Relief we wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be their handwriting, their story, helps me explain why I understand here. It’s as simple as that.

their wedding anniversary but had used the words ‘wedding day’. Danny Mum said that might have saved her life. I learnt so much from these files, both about my family story and also about history. Like the story my mum told me when we read I’d been with my family to see where Omi and Opi had lived in a file that says that her Opi spoke a little English, which is funny Vienna before they came here and I’ve met some of my extended because my great Grandma told my mum they took English family around the world, but these files helped bring the story to classes before they came here but said they didn’t learn very life even more. much because they were busy holding hands under the table! It’s weird how they ended up in London but left and then how my Going through the files also reminded us both of family stories. own mum ended up in London too, having come from Australia. Like how Omi begged officials in Vienna to be allowed to come The most incredible thing was seeing how they lived just round here to get married, but had actually mixed up the words in the corner from us. Mum has been living here for almost 20 years English. She was trying to say she wanted to be with Opi for and had no idea! They must have gone to the same shul as us and now we’ve been able to walk around there to see where they lived.

If your family arrived in the UK from Austria or Germany in the 1930s or 40s, World Jewish Relief may hold their records too. We want to give them back to you, for free. Find out if we helped your family at www.worldjewishrelief.org/archives or call 020 8736 1250 4

Supporting the world’s most vulnerable

It is scarcely believable how We work across every generation; much poverty exists within our from supporting older people, to global Jewish family. For those working with their children and who are old and sick or lonely, grandchildren so they can put or young and unable to support food on their families’ tables. It’s their families, life in countries the youngest who will benefit including Ukraine, Moldova or in the long run, growing up in Belarus is hard. Through expert, homes full of hope. Here are a targeted interventions, together two stories of people we have we can help. Together we can helped recently. end Jewish poverty. 5

ALEXANDRA IS THE LAST AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR LIVING IN MOLDOVA TODAY. PREVIOUSLY STRUGGLING IN A DILAPIDATED FLAT, WE ARE HELPING ALEXANDRA LIVE IN THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY SHE DESERVES.

Alexandra has two children and three grandchildren but lives alone having been widowed some years ago. She participates in meetings at the Jewish community centre, often speaking about her experience in the Holocaust.

Recently, the roof of Alexandra’s apartment sprung a leak, leading to terrible damp. Her ceiling, walls and furniture were damaged, compromising her health and safety.

On her tiny pension, Alexandra could never afford to make the repairs herself, so World Jewish Relief stepped in. Through our Home Repairs programme we were able to repair Alexandra’s roof and the damage. She said, “I feel that I can live a dignified and beautiful life now. This is a wonderful gift and for all this I am so grateful”.

World Jewish Relief’s Home Repairs programme provides practical and immediate help to Jewish people whose homes are in terrible disrepair. We create healthier, safer living environments for thousands; part of an holistic approach to meeting the physical and emotional needs of older people.

INNA LIVES IN ZAPOROZHYE, UKRAINE, SHE SHARES A CRAMPED FLAT WITH HER EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SON AND HER PARENTS, INCLUDING HER DISABLED FATHER. WHEN INNA BECAME UNEMPLOYED, SHE TURNED TO US FOR HELP.

When the war broke out, the family’s total income dropped to £87 per month, not enough to cover even the basics. Inna struggled to find work, losing her self esteem.

After being recommended to our Livelihood Programme, Inna received assistance with writing her CV and interview skills so that she could get a job. Just one week later, Inna became a permanent employee in a shoe shop. She describes how “the team helped me to make things clear, gave my thoughts the right direction...Now I have my favourite job”.

In , finding work is the only way for people to find a route out of poverty. Our Livelihood Programmes eliminate barriers to employment. We provide training, recruitment advice, psychological assistance, vocational training and job search support. By enabling people to secure employment, we help them to build a future for themselves and their families. 6

An eye-opening trip to Moldova Jake Leigh, a participant on World Jewish Relief’s Bar & Bat Mitzvah Trip in February 2017

Jake pictured with his Dad, Adam 7

IN FEBRUARY I TOOK PART IN A TRIP TO MOLDOVA’S CAPITAL, KISHINEV, TO SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK WORLD JEWISH RELIEF IS DOING. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY MOVING THREE DAYS, CHANGING MY OUTLOOK ON THE WORLD AND HELPING ME TO UNDERSTAND THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF THE CHARITY’S WORK.

The first house that I visited really We went to two bakeries supported be reminded that people are living put things into perspective for me. by World Jewish Relief’s Livelihood with such hardship in 2017. We met a man in his 40s with severe Programme - which helps people Down’s Syndrome, living with his set up businesses and bring people On our final day we had an mother in a tiny flat. She had no into work. We learnt how to make incredible tour of the city’s Jewish other family, few friends and had Moldovan plaited bread, which to sites. Before the war there were been abandoned by her husband. my untrained eye looked just like over 80 synagogues, now there is World Jewish Relief fund home challah! It was inspiring to see that just one still functioning. We also visits where someone comes to play the money being put towards this saw the Holocaust memorial, an with her son and bring vital food was making people’s dreams come emotional place where you could and medicine. It was very upsetting true. see how much the war had affected to see how they lived. Moldova. We then sang Jewish songs at the We then spent time with a youth local JCC with older people and The trip changed my life and added group in the Jewish Community learnt a dance with the youth group. so much more meaning to my Bar Centre (JCC), playing games and We were treated with such respect Mitzvah. It made me feel so lucky learning about Moldovan Jewish and kindness and it was lovely and grateful for everything I have. history. It was uplifting to meet to see our whole group feel so To see such terrible conditions, kids like us – we had much more in passionate. which are not just happening in common than I expected. There was Moldova, gave me such a passion to still a vast difference in the way we We then made another home visit. do all I can to better the situation. live our lives, but the part of them I met an elderly couple whose state After having been on this trip and that made them want to be in touch pension is so abysmal that it cannot experiencing the work that is being with their heritage was a fantastic cover their heating bills. They live done by World Jewish Relief first thing to share. in constant fear of being cut off. hand, I will be donating a portion They started crying in front of us. It of my Bar Mitzvah money to this The next day we went to Beltsy, the was very hard to watch such a tragic amazing organisation. I also hope to second largest city, which before the situation, which I was helpless to do lots more fundraising and help war had a 70% Jewish population. do anything about. It was so sad to out in the future.

Participants meet Moldovan Jewish kids at the community centre 8

Spotlight on

IN APRIL, WE WERE VISITED BY ISAAC MUGABE, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR PARTNER ORGANISATION, UIZENGA NI MANZI, IN RWANDA. WE SPOKE TO HIM TO FIND OUT ABOUT HIM, THE PROJECT AND THE IMPACT IT’S HAVING.

Tell me a little about your personal Jewish Relief, who were really impressed are very limited even for graduates we background – where you were born, with the progress the country was convinced him to explore agricultural live and how you came to do what making, but realised that to address entrepreneurship. He is now known as you’re doing now. poverty we need to focus on economic a “master of passion fruits” because growth. with our help he started growing this Growing up, hatred and ethnic demanding but highly profitable crop. discrimination reigned in my country. Together we discovered that commercial He has become very successful, earning The brewing violence eventually led horticulture offers the best route out the equivelent of more than £5,000 in to the genocide which started in April of poverty for rural youth - a very risky one year - a huge amount for Rwanda. 1994. 100 days of a devastating frenzy and innovative idea. By teaching them of merciless killing. Death was made how to farm new crops, we helped these What does the support of World a painful, agonising, frightening, young disenchanted people to increase Jewish Relief mean to you, and to the humiliating end. I survived hunger, their income six times in about four project participants? hiding, running for my life, fear, and months. prayers to be killed by guns and not In some way, the history of Tutsis machetes. Are there any successes you’re (those persecuted in the genocide) particularly proud of? is very similar to Jews. We also During the Genocide a lot of my family experienced pogroms, were denied were murdered so I became responsible To date we’ve helped 1,509 young access to education, had to live for for my younger siblings. people increase their income by on decades in exile and then were almost average 142%, through growing high- exterminated. Israel is an amazing start- In 2002 I became a beneficiary of value watermelons, tomatoes, passion up nation that sets an example of what Uizenga Ni Manzi, a Rwandan NGO fruits and chilli peppers. can be achieved. that I am now Director of Operations of. Since 2014 I have been managing the For me personally, I am very proud to World Jewish Relief helped us Icyerekezo (which means “Vision” in see that young people who felt that their understand economic empowerment. our language) Livelihood Programme, lives would never change, now say that We are very grateful for the Jewish which World Jewish Relief funds. they can see business opportunities and community’s financial support but, even are not discouraged by setbacks. more so, we deeply value your care and How did the project begin? What was your belief in us. It keeps us going. the need and where did the initial idea One of our best farmers is Jean Claude. come from? He was keen to go to university but The project was initiated by World considering that employment prospects 9

1,509 young Rwandans whose income we’ve helped increase

142% average increase in income for project participants

Watermelons, tomatoes & passion fruits are some of the high-value cash crops

Isaac (middle) visiting London last year with Ekaterina (right), our Head of Impact and Livelihoods 6

10 ‘We wait for the rain and hope.’ Responding to the East Food Crisis Mireille Flores, Humanitarian Programmes Manager

EAST AFRICA IS IN CRISIS. MORE THAN 20 MILLION PEOPLE ARE

ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION. YOU’VE SEEN THE DEVASTATING

PHOTOS – ANIMALS DYING BY THE ROADSIDE AND PEOPLE FIGHTING

TO STAY ALIVE. WITH THIS IN MIND, WORLD JEWISH RELIEF FELT

COMPELLED TO ACT. IN MARCH, WE LAUNCHED OUR EAST AFRICA

FOOD CRISIS APPEAL.

A few weeks later I travelled to Kenya to She is hugely grateful for the project. The deliver vital food and water and assess free water point is 500 metres from her how we and our local partners would be home and she can even get some water Over the next two best able to help with the money donated. for her animals, six of which had already months we will: died. We have teamed up with an NGO in transport Kenya called RACIDA (Rural Agency Even so, Halima and her children are for Community Development and still only eating one meal a day, drinking Assistance), focussing our efforts on only black tea otherwise to stave off the helping communities in Mandera county, hunger. “We have no other option. We 600,000 where 2.7 million people are at risk. can only wait for the rain and hope. In the litres of water to meantime, I only wish you keep saving We visited Malkaruqa village where I our lives.” vulnerable communities met Halima, a young mother of six. In the drought, the water tanks and reservoir Together with our partner TPO Uganda, that usually serve the community are we are also supporting thousands of provide completely empty. As their crops fail vulnerable female refugees arriving and their animals die, they are literally in Uganda, many of whom have been watching their livelihoods disappear. victims of sexual assault and rape. families Uganda hosts the most refugees in 300 Thanks to the UK Jewish community, Africa and many are settling in the most with food vouchers this village is receiving vital water. We drought-affected areas of the region. We redeemable at local markets pay for tankers to make the long journey will help these women recover from the there every two days, providing Halima trauma and find work to give them hope and others with water for cooking, for the future. drinking and washing. These projects will reach You can still donate to the East Africa Food Crisis Appeal 8,968 at www.worldjewishrelief.org/foodcrisis people 11

60 SECONDS WITH... HARRY HEBER, 86, VOLUNTEER AND RESIDENT OPTICIAN

What is your connection to World Jewish Relief? I came to the UK on the , so I owe a lot to World Jewish Relief (then The Central British Fund for German Jewry), who organised it. It was 1997 when I decided to get involved.

How do you support the charity? I found out World Jewish Relief was buying ready-made glasses How often do you volunteer? to send to Eastern Europe, and, as an optician, I thought it would These days I come in at least once a week but be much better to make prescription glasses. I visited Odessa, that used to be more. We are trying to aid the Ukraine where I met the community and helped establish a communities to become self-sufficient. testing room at the community centre. What advice would you give to anyone looking How does it work? to volunteer? We receive prescriptions, order frames and have lenses made I saw an opportunity to help and to give up, then send them to where they need to go. We’ve done around something back and I would recommend that 55,000 spectacles with individual prescriptions and sent them to to everyone – it gives great satisfaction to know Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia among other countries. you’re helping people in a much worse situation.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF CELEBRATORY

On April 23rd 2017, World Jewish • Royal Parks Half Marathon GIVING Relief saw its biggest team of - 8 October 2017, deadline 18 runners complete the Virgin August Mark a special occasion by London Marathon. 21 runners • Kindertransport pounded the streets in support Commemorative Cycle from supporting World Jewish of our work, and through their Berlin to London - 17-22 June Relief! dedication and commitment they 2018, deadline 31 August raised a phenomenal £51,921 and • The Big Half 2018 – 4 March If you, or someone you know, is celebrating counting! 2017, deadline TBC a birthday, anniversary, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, or wedding, you could use the opportunity Sam Helfgott, who ran with his Have your own ideas? We can to give hope to those in need. father Maurice, said “It really help find a challenge that suits was a very special day; the you. Contact Samantha Martin 1. If you know someone who is celebrating hardest but definitely the most on [email protected] or you can donate to World Jewish Relief in rewarding thing I’ve ever done! 020 8736 1265 to discuss how you their honour. We will send them a Mazel It feels wonderful to know how can challenge yourself to make a Tov card to let them know you have effectively the funds will be difference. donated. used.” 2. If you have a special occasion coming Thanks to personal trainers up you can ask well-wishers to donate Simon Marks and Karina to World Jewish Relief in your name. Kaufmann of Freerange Fitness, We will keep you updated on who who we partnered with to support has donated and the total you raise. the team in the lead up. For more information about Celebratory Feeling inspired by our runners? Giving please email Richard Budden on Not only do we have spaces for [email protected] the London Marathon in 2018, or call 020 8736 1250. but a variety of other events too, including: 12

Your 1% can help end Jewish poverty

A little from a lot of people can make unimaginable changes. Leaving World Jewish Relief a gift in your Will of just 1% of your estate could end Jewish poverty and bring hope to the world’s poorest Jews.

To find out how or for more information on leaving a gift in your Will please contact Richard Budden on 020 8736 1250 or go to: worldjewishrelief.org/will

WHERE For every £1 we receive, 81p is spent on our life-changing 19% projects supporting older Jewish people and those escaping YOUR MONEY poverty, primarily in Eastern Europe. We invest the other 19p GOES to manage our income and to help raise the next pound. 81%

Oscar Joseph House E [email protected] 54 Crewys Road T 020 8736 1250 London worldjewishrelief.org NW2 2AD @wjrelief Registered charity no. 290767