Reach Out Winter/Spring 2019 2 Since we were founded in and by extension at least 1933 to help refugees flee Nazi half of its potential. When Europe, World Jewish Relief a woman earns her own has always worked hard to income she contributes to the help those most in need. That’s development of her family why we are putting women members, her community and at the top of our agenda to her society. Enabling women ensure they are given the to learn, lead, decide and opportunities they need to thrive can not only transform achieve their full potential. their own self-esteem but also the lives of their families, In this issue we will communities and societies. hear stories from female staff, partners and most We are determined to do more significantly, from some of the to prioritise women across women who we support, whose everything we do, including journeys and experiences our work supporting older exemplify why women are so people, our employment central to our work. programmes, interventions to support refugees and We believe women and girls Susannah Kintish our humanitarian disaster must have the right to have response initiatives. a voice in the economic Trustee and political life of their Strong female figures are community and their country. an important part of Jewish They have the right to earn history. From the matriarchs a decent wage, work safely, and the key roles they played Paul Anticoni, our CEO, has access healthcare and live free in the formative years of from violence. Too often, those Judaism to the biblical figure kindly permitted me to nab his rights are denied to them. of Deborah, who broke societal norms to hold a position as a For older women in , slot in this issue of Reach Out judge. But for every story of , or empowerment there are many , they have often to mark the launch of Women more of discrimination and been left lonely, isolated and inequality. of World Jewish Relief. unsupported by devalued pensions and a society not We want to learn from our set up to support them. heritage and ensure we We’re there for them. Their are able to support women daughters face unprecedented through their most difficult economic turbulence, days and give them the struggling to find employment, opportunity to fulfil their particularly women coming highest potential. I hope you back from maternity leave. enjoy reading this issue of We’re there for them. When Reach Out. disaster strikes, women and girls often suffer the most. Emergency situations Thank you so much for all of exacerbate existing gender your continued support. inequalities, making women and girls more vulnerable. We’re there for them too – hearing their voices, understanding their concerns and responding accordingly to address these issues in an emergency context. Our services are delivered by passionate, local partners and women already constitute 65% of those who benefit from these programmes. Women and girls represent half of the world’s population 3

a l i f e r e b u i l t

n the outskirts of there is still widespread her business, turn an happy. She is inspired OKiev, in a bustling prejudice against idea into profit, pay taxes, by the idea that she is an area, a local coffee shop Internally Displaced and to create budgets entrepreneur. Despite emits a welcoming glow. People (IDPs) in Ukraine. and financial forecasts. everything she has gone The owner, Natalia, greets Her husband’s meagre Natalia developed a through, she is finally guests and chats with wage kept the family business plan, attracted living her dream. her regular customers. surviving, but only just. initial investment and Local residents, random learned how to write grant Natalia is a great example passers-by, and even Natalia learned about applications for materials of World Jewish Relief’s police patrols pop in World Jewish Relief’s and furnishing. philosophy that no two regularly and the coffee Livelihood Development people are alike and what shop is starting to feel Programme from a Natalia and her family works for one may not like a community hub. previous graduate worked hard to repair the work for another. This But just two years earlier, who had successfully run down space, decorate, is why we work hard to life was very different for found employment. and develop a menu. A tailor our support to their Natalia. She attended on-the- month after she finished specific needs and social job training where she her training, Natalia context. For Natalia this When war hit the learned how to best opened her coffee shop! was recognising that her Ukrainian city of Lugansk, present herself and how aspirations would not the battle raged right to use her existing skills “At the self-employment be fulfilled by work as a outside of Natalia’s front to earn an income. Within training I was not only hairdresser. In helping her door. Every night the sky two months she had found given the necessary set up a business we hope lit up with explosions. a job as a hairdresser. knowledge for my that she will compound Shells flew into residential business, but the initial this effect by creating areas and staying in In working with Natalia on-the-job training was jobs for others who are her home was not safe. we realised her dream very useful. It taught struggling in Ukraine’s Natalia had no choice but was to open her own me to be confident in sparse job market. to take her daughter and coffee shop. We knew she my abilities, to use my flee with her husband to had determination and experience and to have There are still many the capital. willingness to learn, so faith in my strength. And, people out there like with the right training of course, it’s important to Natalia, victims of conflict In Kiev, Natalia had and support this could be realise that I’m not alone – and prejudice, who with to start her life again. an achievable dream. the team are always there the help of World Jewish Despite having had a for me!” Relief can begin to successful career as We invited her to take rebuild their lives. Your a restaurant manager our entrepreneurship Three months later the generous donations really and being trained as a and self-employment coffee shop is beginning do help make the world a hairdresser, she struggled training where she to become profitable better place for those who to find stable work as learned how to register and Natalia is tired, but are the most vulnerable. 4

Connecting women, unleashing potential

On 18th October 2018 Viktoria Panteley were evacuated during the Valentine Holocaust. Many others World Jewish Relief Viktoria Panteley is Mukamuyenzi survived the Nazi occupation hosted a landmark Executive Director of Hesed Valentine Mukamuyenzi and the concentration camps. event at JW3, London’s Shaare Tikva, one of World travelled to London from Jewish cultural centre, Jewish Relief’s trusted to speak about her to celebrate the launch “Often, they survived partner organisations in thanks to Ukrainian work with street children of our new initiative, Kharkov, Ukraine. Her affected by genocide. In Women of World tireless effort supports over women who gave 1994 the Rwandan civil war Jewish Relief, engaging 7,000 people, the majority of them shelter, hid culminated in a horrific the support of our whom are women. them, adopted them, genocide. Over the course of fantastic network of In Ukraine, structural or changed their 100 days between 500,000 generous and powerful and one million people Jewish women who can inequalities have a surnames and their significant impact on women. officially-documented were murdered. Many of help us really make a Valentine’s family were killed difference. The gender pay gap is as ethnicity.” much as 25% and the average in the violence. This inaugural event also life expectancy for women Even after the war, many Streets Ahead Children’s marked our commitment is 12 years longer than men. Jewish people continued to Centre (SACCA) was to prioritise the needs of The result is a far greater face persecution under the established in 2003 to help women across our work. number of isolated older Soviet Union and after its thousands of orphaned Women already make up a women living on paltry collapse in 1989, watched children left to live on the majority of the participants pensions. During their their savings disappear as streets as a result of the that we support through working lives, Ukrainian the value of the Ukrainian genocide. They became a our programmes but we women are further impacted currency plummeted. World Jewish Relief partner recognise that they face if they choose to have in 2005 and over the last Working alongside World unique challenges, whether children. Without sufficient 15 years have helped 4,600 Jewish Relief, Hesed Shaare that is social inequality in childcare provision and children to leave the streets Tikva provides holistic the workplace or at home, social stigma around working and into safe homes or support to older Jewish which prevents them from mothers, returning to well- employment. people in Kharkov. From fulfilling their full potential. paid work after having dementia education, home Valentine, a trained To mark the launch of children is very difficult. repairs, eye operations teacher, has been with the Women of World Jewish This not only delays career and home care visits, our organization from the start, Relief we invited three progression but also leaves programmes are carefully working her way up to amazing women from them with a much smaller tailored to the needs of this become Director of SACCA across our programmes to pension than their male generation. Viktoria’s deep in 2012. Determined to speak about the challenges counterparts. knowledge and experience of do as much as she could faced by women in troubled Viktoria has a unique helping vulnerable people is to help those in need, she societies, war zones and insight into the lives of invaluable in ensuring that went to university and workplaces. this generation of Jewish older in Ukraine can gained an MBA in clinical women because like her live dignified lives. psychology in order to better own family, many of them support children who have 5 experienced severe trauma. World Jewish Relief worked with SACCA to create a “I have watched as kids I programme which gives helped bring off the streets training and employment have grown up and become skills to young people. responsible and flourishing With this support, young men and women with their people are able to get jobs own families. in hospitality, construction I lost much of and hairdressing both my family to the locally and in the capital Kigali. The transformation genocide, but through of these children’s lives and my leadership of prospects is extraordinary. SACCA, I have been Not only do they have blessed with more. an income to support The children call their families, but their me mother and they confidence, self-esteem and mental health have also come and talk or ask dramatically improved. for advice. For many Kafa and her husband, whose Specialist Training and of them I am the only mobility is limited by polio, Employment Programme Kafa Al-Mighribi decided to leave Syria for (STEP) where she received mother they have.” the sake of their children. support in getting her Kafa is a participant on After an exhausting journey degree and qualifications Despite being one of the World Jewish Relief’s they crossed the border into recognized in the UK, help leading nations when it Specialist Training and Jordan and tried their best in preparing job applications comes to female participation Employment Programme to settle down and continue and interviews, and further in the workforce and (STEP) in Bradford, their lives. But without work training for qualifications in government, the challenges established in response to they were relying on charity English, mathematics and facing girls in Rwanda are the refugee crisis. She fled handouts and living in interpreting. still much greater than those her home in Syria with her cramped conditions and Kafa facing boys. Traditional husband and two young clearly recalls the physical “It was always a gender roles mean women children and came to Britain dream we would and girls are expected to and emotional exhaustion. on the Vulnerable Persons visit Europe. I never fulfil the majority of domestic Resettlement Scheme “It was like a battle; you feel tasks and opportunities for (VPRS). as though you are always imagined we would wider education are limited. fighting. We didn’t go out, we come as refugees.” A lack of family planning Sitting in her home on the didn’t have family around. Kafa has now found work as initiatives, including sex outskirts of Homs, Syria, You’re just alone all the an interpreter and with our education and contraception, Kafa could hear the sound time.” continued support has begun means there is a high of bombs falling. At first Kafa and her family got the to make Britain her home. number of unplanned a distant reminder of the chance to come to the UK teenage pregnancies which ongoing conflict until they three years ago. Despite “I hope my story can give disrupts young women’s grew closer and closer. Then having a degree in English my children the courage and lives and their chances for her neighbour’s house was Literature she struggled power to look forward and education and meaningful hit. to find work. With support achieve things for themselves employment. For Valentine Kafa remembers how hard from our partners, Horton and for others.” and SACCA, the challenge is it was being a mother in a Housing Association, Kafa not only providing material war zone. The children didn’t and her family settled in support but also changing understand what was going Bradford and she enrolled the young women’s mindsets on or why they couldn’t in World Jewish Relief’s and empowering them to play outside. Food supplies gain employment. became scarce and power and water shortages were “Our government has made common. Want to know more about Women of gender equality a key part World Jewish Relief? of their mission but it hasn’t “Our lives were turned filtered down to people in upside down. Suddenly Head over to rural areas. According to there was bombing, shelling traditional culture, girls are and fighting… My children worldjewishrelief.org/wowjr couldn’t go to school. I still expected to do most SIGN UP | DONATE | CAMPAIGN | EVENTS of the household duties couldn’t look after them like cooking, cleaning and properly. There was no peace connecting women, unleashing potential looking after the children.” or happiness.” 6

Life changing experiences... Jodi Deacon, aged 11, went on one of World Jewish Relief’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah Trips to Ukraine in October 2018. She told us about her experience and what she learned from the trip. I was privileged to go on one of World Jewish Bat Mitzvah with a 9-year-old girl called Vera Relief’s trips with my mum and my brother Toby Diskin who perished in a region of the Ukraine we to Ukraine in October 2018 and it was full of visited on our trip before she had the chance to memorable experiences. have a Bat Mitzvah celebration. I will try to carry the torch of Judaism on behalf of both of us as I We visited lots of projects, like a Wood Technology reach adulthood. classroom in a Job Opportunity Centre where people get training to help them get jobs. We made If you are interested in learning about our Bar and wooden aeroplanes, a birdhouse and a car. Bat Mitzvah Programme, contact Sam Schryer [email protected] | 020 8736 1250 We also visited some of the older people World Jewish Relief support, where we saw a lot of poverty in terms of their poor housing, and also one lovely old lady who was so poor that she couldn’t even clean her dog!

The feelings I have coming off the trip are massive appreciation for the work that World Jewish Relief does around the world helping Jewish and non-Jewish people, putting them back on their feet when they need help the most, and that I feel really lucky to have the lifestyle that I do back home. I don’t now take good stuff for granted.

The trip was a very important part of my Bat Mitzvah year of self-discovery. One of the most touching things for me is that I have twinned my 7 ....Life changing support “ To find yourself with nothing in your later years is very disheartening and I felt completely hopeless. ”

Karina lives alone in Kharkov, Ukraine, in a small, their already meagre pensions vastly devalued. The dilapidated and cold home. Following the death of windows haven’t been updated since the house was her husband has had a number of problems with built and are entirely ineffective to protect against her health. She walks with a stick, and suffers from the cold. With the help of World Jewish Relief, these cardiovascular problems. Although her son lives will be replaced, the leaking ceiling will be fixed nearby, he has a family of his own to care for, and and the walls replastered. These repairs will make cannot provide much assistance to her. She is warm Karina’s house habitable again. She longs to have a and welcoming and every week her son and three home she is proud of, and most importantly, a place grandsons visit her for a meal. she can safely host her children and grandchildren.

However, her house has fallen into a state of disrepair “I was frustrated and felt that my situation would since her husband died, and she cannot afford to never change. Once my repairs are completed I pay for repairs herself. Women like Karina, who look forward to living my last years in happiness retired during the collapse of the Soviet Union, saw and comfort again.” 8 Earth turned to liquid by Mireille Flores Humanitarian Programmes Manager

OUR EMERGENCY APPEALS ENABLE US TO REACH BEYOND THE COMMUNITY AT TIMES OF DEVASTATING GLOBAL DISASTER. WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI STRUCK INDONESIA IN SEPTEMBER, THE RESPONSE OF THE UK JEWISH COMMUNITY ALLOWED US TO PROVIDE VITAL AID AND ASSISTANCE TO THOSE MOST IN NEED, SAVING THOUSANDS OF LIVES. 9

I arrived in Palu city, 1,300 still missing. violence. In the face of to distribute emergency Sulawesi, only a couple this, the women I met were kits to help over people of weeks after the This is horrifying, but vital to the early recovery without adequate shelter, devastating earthquake those numbers don’t tell us and survival of their ensuring they have and tsunami that the full story - the story of families and communities. protection from the hit Indonesia on 29 those who lost their lives, As a woman this is elements. These kits September 2018. The their livelihoods and their something that makes me provided tarpaulin, rope, destruction and the communities in an instant. proud; women’s ability to blankets and mattresses trauma and fear in Despite the sheer horror rebuild their families and and have benefited people’s eyes were the they had experienced, communities even when over 900 people so far. first things that struck the local response I everything around them Similarly, as a result of me. saw was incredible. has collapsed never ceases listening to women’s It was humbling and to amaze me. The women needs on hygiene we were Many of the people I encouraging to see I talked to had begun also able to supply 480 talked to were living in community organisations, making their makeshift hygiene kits containing makeshift camps. They local government teams, tents as safe as possible nappies, underwear, and looked deeply saddened business people and and as comfortable as menstrual products to and traumatised – still neighbours coming they could; they had ensure women and girls in shock about what had together to help those in created support groups have dignity and prevent happened. Similarly, my need. For example, one of to organise themselves serious health risks. colleagues on the ground the community leaders and serve each other as a were teary eyed when I met burst into tears as support network; some of It’s now been two months they recounted what they he recounted seeing his them had even set up very since we began our had seen. The impact of house collapse in front small shops in their tents. I response and since then the earthquake and the of him. He told me of his am proud that we are able we have been able to tsunami were so strong worries for his community to help them in rebuilding help nearly 3,500 people that the earth turned and people he represents their lives. begin to rebuild their to liquid under their as well as his desire for lives. Although the scale feet in a process called helping his community to Thanks to the huge and the challenge of liquefaction. That was one recover. generosity of the Jewish reconstruction is huge, it of the most unsettling and community, we were able is not impossible and we incomprehensible things I At the core of the response to begin alleviating some are working hard to ensure have heard in my career as and rebuilding process of the worst impacts of the that we deliver what an aid worker. after any disaster are disaster and help people people need most. women. Often left to care meet their basic needs in The 7.4 magnitude for survivors, make shelter the early stages of this It is only with your help, earthquake also triggered and look after children, disaster. however, that this is a devastating tsunami the societal pressures on possible. Thank you. that reached 18 feet in these vulnerable women Together with our height, affecting the are vastly exacerbated local partners who are >> Below: Mireille helps lives of approximately after a disaster, as are the regional disaster response serve food to victims of the 1.5 million people. More risks of disease and sexual specialists, we were able earthquake than 200,000 people were displaced from the coastal areas and left homeless. They witnessed their community, livelihoods, and homes torn away in seconds. It felt impossible to me, as it did to the people I spoke to, that the land could reclaim such an expanse of development and swallow it up it as though it had never existed. These areas are now considered mass graves. The loss of life as a result of this disaster was huge, with a death toll of over 2,000 people and over 10

WORLD JEWISH RELIEF WORKS ACROSS TO PROVIDE VITAL WINTER SUPPORT TO ISOLATED OLDER PEOPLE. THIS INCLUDES FUNDING HOT MEAL PROGRAMMES, PROVIDING FUEL, PAYING HEATING COSTS AND UNDERTAKING CRUCIAL REPAIRS TO MAKE THEIR HOMES SAFE AND WARM FOR THE WINTER.

We spoke to Eugenie, one of the participants of our Winter Warmth campaign in Moldova. Having survived evacuation during World War 2, she faced brutal anti-Semitism in her work as a teacher and now lives alone in her old age. World Jewish Relief partners her local Hesed to provide food packages and help her get to her local Jewish Community Centre. She tells us her story and what your support means to her.

Tell us about you, your family and your story Thanks to World Jewish Relief and Hesed Yehuda I can I was born in Ukraine into a large and friendly Jewish get help in buying my medicines and they bring me food family. When I was just one year old, World War 2 broke packages twice a month. Even so, often I do not have the out. My father went to the front, and my mother made strength to cook a proper hot meal, or afford hearty and the tough decision to escape to safety with all five of healthy food and this is really important for me because I us children to Kazakhstan. Thanks to the courage and live with diabetes. determination of my mother, we survived despite all the Why is the canteen important? hardships of evacuation: hunger, anxiety for our father, All of these problems are alleviated by the Kagul canteen, the daily struggle for survival. which has become for us, the elderly, the poor, and the All of my family who remained in their homes in sick not only a source of food aid, but also a cultural Korostyshev were shot. My earliest childhood memory centre; a meeting place to make friends, and the place we is of my mother crying when news came from the front celebrate our Jewish ways of life. that my father had been killed in action. After the war, we What would you do without the support? returned to our ruined home and began to get used to life The Jewish community of Kagul is just 65 people and in peace. I trained as a teacher and was sent to work at a World Jewish Relief and Hesed Yehuda support us. primary school in Western Ukraine, where I had to face I hear from my friends at the Centre who have to cope brutal anti-Semitic abuse. Driven from my job in Ukraine, with problems of everyday life, buy expensive medicines, I then moved to Moldova. and wait for the sad outcome of their illnesses, because All my life I have tried to learn and to better myself. there is no money for vital surgery. Without your help, we That’s why I turned back to academia. I graduated from would be on the brink of survival, forced to face extreme the University of Chisinau and worked as a bibliographer poverty and loneliness. for many years. Unfortunately, Moldova’s government How did it change your life? began to close schools like ours that taught in Russian. I found that I was not needed by anyone; my experience I feel like an intelligent, necessary, interesting person and my professionalism were not wanted any more. Now again. I can chat with friends and spend Jewish holidays I live alone, relying on my pension of £70 a month. My with them. This is a programme where the heart is children have moved away – they have their own lives, warmed. With the work of the programme I was given their own families and their own problems. hope and desire to live life to the fullest. What support do you need? What would you say to people in the UK who help you? I’m not used to asking for help. I have always tried to get out of difficult situations on my own, relying on my own By helping us, the old and sick people living in a small strength, wisdom and entrepreneurship. But my age and town in the Republic of Moldova, you know that we will severe chronic diseases have forced me to limit my usual pass your gift on to everyone who needs our love and activities; I can no longer see my friends, lecture at the care. I will be able to give lectures again, prepare literary Kagul Jewish Community Centre in Chisinau, or host compositions for our community and to support my holiday celebrations. I used to love being a great hostess friends who find themselves in need of my help. and exchanging kind words with old friends. Thank you. 11

join world jewish relief to commemorate 80 years since we orchestrated the by taking part in a ride that promises to be exciting, emotional and exhilarating.

Contact Zara for more information [email protected] www.worldjewishrelief.org/Berlin2London | 020 8736 1250 help to end jewish poverty with a gift in your will Olga lived with her mother Tamara and seven year old daughter Nastya, in Ukraine. She worked as a cardiologist but the family were forced to flee their home during the conflict in Crimea, leaving everything they had behind. Living in a refugee camp, they turned to World Jewish Relief to get help in rebuilding their lives. With psychological support, building confidence and learning new skills, Olga and Tamara both found new jobs. They can support young Nastya again, giving her hope for her future. Thanks to World Jewish Relief and gifts in Wills, the future looks brighter and they can escape poverty. Our thanks to...

World Jewish Relief would Gifts in Wills are critical to World Jewish Relief. We couldn’t like to thank the following supporters and their achieve what we do without the invaluable support of those who families for generous gifts want to leave a lasting legacy. left in their Will.

Judit Beach For more information about leaving a gift to World Jewish Relief Ronald Jacobs in your Will and to find out about our Free Will service, please William Latimer contact Richard Budden, Head of Individual Giving & Legacies on 020 8736 1255 / [email protected] Betty Barnett 12

For Diana, Jenny is her lifeline. Jenny buys the you can change a life groceries, cooks for her, makes the tea, washes and dresses her. She is also there to talk to as well as making sure Diana can take part in Jewish festivals.

Without Jenny, Diana just wouldn’t survive.

By sponsoring a homecare worker you are helping older Jewish people to live with dignity.

Show them we care.

worldjewishrelief.org/sponsor

Donate to Celebrate

Mark a special occasion by supporting World Jewish Relief

Whether you’re looking to give a meaningful gift or celebrating yourself, why not mark a special occasion by giving some of the world’s most vulnerable Jewish people something to celebrate too? For more information about Donate to Celebrate contact Richard Budden on 020 8736 1250 or [email protected] worldjewishrelief.org/donatetocelebrate

WHERE For every £1 we receive, 80p is spent on our life-changing projects 20% supporting older Jewish people and those escaping poverty, YOUR MONEY primarily in Eastern Europe. We invest the other 20p to manage our 80% GOES income and to help raise the next pound. To make a donation please visit worldjewishrelief.org

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