Reach Out Summer/Autumn 2015

A story of courage in Page 5

We empower older people Page 6

From horror to hope in Nepal Page 8

Tackling the crisis of loneliness 2

Yet thanks to the British participants escape the Jewish community, we were cycle of poverty through there. In your thousands our livelihood programmes, you have helped us to as well as supporting older provide water, food and people at this time of shelter to those made national emergency. homeless during the incredibly trying first You’ll have noticed a weeks following the quake slightly different look and and through the second feel to previous editions of earthquake that occurred Reach Out. As the Jewish soon after. Josh Simons, community’s leading our Senior Programmes humanitarian agency, we Manager, was in Nepal are incredibly proud of the within days, helping work that we do amongst coordinate our immediate the world’s poorest Jewish response and ensuring our communities and reaching long-term recovery work is beyond our own. Yet too well planned. Your support often it’s been unclear who means that we will be there we are and what we do. to help rebuild Nepal. Therefore, now is the time Thank you. to move away from WJR; for Paul Anticoni us to speak loud and proud The disastrous conflict as World Jewish Relief. in Ukraine may well have Our new look and feel will Chief Executive slipped down the news enable us to speak to more headlines recently yet one people in a clearer way than cannot overstate the horror ever before. that continues to be seen right on Europe’s doorstep. Finally, inside you’ll read Sadly it’s been a Over a million people the wonderful news that His have been forced to flee Royal Highness The Prince disastrous few months. their homes. Parts of the of Wales will be our new large Jewish community Patron. in Ukraine, though not When the catastrophic specifically targeted, are We’d love you to tell your caught up in the conflict friends and family about earthquake struck Nepal – thousands have been the work that you’ll read displaced and left with about in this newsletter, nothing. At this dark period that your generous support on 25th April, it was in Ukraine’s history, World is enabling. Jewish Relief continues clear within hours that with your help to not only Thank you meet these emergency needs but also to assist our Paul this was a moment of international emergency. With thousands dead and many more left homeless, the devastation was on an unprecedented scale. 3 Our corporate strategy

By 2020 we will:

take 100,000 people out of poverty

assist

50,000 Assist those older affected by disaster 4 5 A story of courage in Ukraine

NOBODY CAN TELL Despite a ceasefire, daily her daughters to flee violations continue yet to Mariupol while her much of the world seems husband stayed behind to WHAT WILL HAPPEN to ignore this conflict on protect their home. World Europe’s doorstep. Is it any Jewish Relief provided NEXT. THIS IS THE surprise they feel forgotten? emergency support including food, clothing World Jewish Relief, and blankets to Margarita FEELING OF OVER 1.2 however, will not forget and and her daughters to ensure we remain committed to that they could settle in MILLION UKRAINIANS Ukraine. It is only thanks their new city. Leaving to you that we managed everything has meant that to provide emergency this once stable, middle- FORCED TO FLEE THEIR support to over 18,400 class family have to start people to ensure that again to slowly rebuild their HOMES AND THE REST they survived the bitter lives. Thanks to you and winter. Though winter has your generosity, including now passed, the scale of your fantastic support of OF THE 44 MILLION the problem is immense. our Pesach Appeal, we’re Ukraine is suffering there to help them. NATIONALS WHOSE from an unprecedented economic, political and Margarita’s is a story that humanitarian crisis. People shows nobody is immune COUNTRY HAS BEEN who once could have coped to the effects of the crisis. are now poor, the resilient Those who once gave are RIPPED APART BY THE are now helpless. Yet we now in need. The strong continue to provide hope are now vulnerable. As and opportunity to those the crisis continues, ONGOING CONFLICT. affected throughout the we go on with our vital country. work providing food, accommodation, medical Margarita is 55 years old care, job-skills training and now lives in Mariupol and emotional support to on the fringes of the people like Margarita. There conflict zone. 18 months are approximately 6,300 ago she was leading a full, Jewish individuals in the happy and successful life conflict zone and as fighting in Donetsk. Her family continues the need here were active in the Jewish remains huge but we are community, even visited there to help them. Their Israel and regularly gave crisis is our problem, your to charity. The fighting support is their salvation. in Donetsk in May 2014 From everyone at World forced Margarita and Jewish Relief, thank you. 6

We empower older people 7

WORLD JEWISH RELIEF’S PROGRAMMES MANAGER BETH SAFFER RECENTLY VISITED UKRAINE TO CONNECT WITH OUR PARTNERS AND SEE FIRST-HAND THE IMPACT OF OUR ELDERLY WORK WHICH YOU’VE MADE POSSIBLE.

Ukraine’s elderly Jewish bombing could not prevent community, many of whom older people participating lived through the Second in social gatherings, which World War, have yet again have continued to represent been faced with extremely a real lifeline for people difficult times as a result living in these areas. of the Ukraine crisis. The We always reach out to the military conflict has brought most isolated elderly people an endless period of worry, such as those unable to stress and uncertainty for leave their homes. We also the future. hope to get more elderly people to play an active role World Jewish Relief’s in the projects and their empowering older people wider community – such programme has made a huge as by visiting less mobile difference to people’s lives people, helping to organise by tackling loneliness and events or being a telephone isolation. Over 1,200 older befriender. people and 300 younger people are involved in the At our recent seminar in programme throughout Kiev, partners relished the Ukraine. Bringing the chance to discuss common two generations together problems and hear from enables new relationships Aviva Trup from the and understanding to be Holocaust Survivor Centre We empower developed. in London on dementia, empowerment and During the past turbulent bereavement. This is where year, the programme has run we can see the other benefit stress-relieving workshops, of our support - bringing individual consultations people together to learn with psychologists and from World Jewish Relief as provided the opportunity well as from each other. older people for older people to gather with friends in safe places We extend our greatest for much-needed respite thanks to the Desmond and distraction. In the Foundation for generously conflict-affected regions of supporting this programme. Donetsk and Luhansk, even Thank you. the sounds of shelling and 8

From horror to hope in Nepal

ON 25 APRIL AN EARTHQUAKE HIT NEPAL CLAIMING OVER 8,000 LIVES. THANKS TO YOUR AMAZING GENEROSITY, WORLD JEWISH RELIEF WAS ABLE TO ACT IMMEDIATELY, PROVIDING FOOD, SHELTER AND SAFE WATER. OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMES MANAGER, JOSH SIMONS, WAS IN NEPAL, TURNING YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT INTO ACTION.

When I first arrived in West of Kathmandu where, hospitality although they had to help people who are Kathmandu, I was struck by thanks to your support, we lost everything. now homeless to build the dust, it was everywhere are working with a local safe shelters which will and choking. It was the organisation to provide 500 This is just one of many withstand the ongoing rain. dust of tens of thousands families with life-saving similar encounters. Time and of homes crumbled to shelter materials. time again, I saw examples of During my time in Nepal, the ground. It was the Nepali resilience and pride. I saw the absolute worst dust of the rescue effort It is here that I met Nanu, a Despite the rubble and ruins, part of the human desperately trying to save 13 year old girl who is living you can’t help but appreciate experience, the injured, the last few lives. in a makeshift tent with nine the natural beauty of this the ill and worse; but I other women and children. country and the generosity have also seen kindness, Months on there is still When I met them, the only of its people. generosity and resilience. rubble everywhere, on relief assistance they had The earthquake was every street, in every received was a 15kg bag Over the last months, as devastating, but the people neighbourhood, and in of rice. It was not nearly well as providing immediate here are hopeful. They front of nearly every house. enough for everyone in their relief such as food, tents know that organisations Thousands of families family, yet Nanu’s mother and blankets to families like World Jewish Relief have lost everything. still invited me into her tent like Nanu’s, your support will help to repair their Beyond Kathmandu some to eat lunch with her family. has meant that we can help country and rebuild villages have been wiped Declining, my heart ached local communities get back their communities. away completely. I visited with amazement that this on their feet. In the current Rasuwa district, North family could extend such monsoons, our priority is Thank you. 9

From horror to hope in Nepal Welcoming our new Patron… Prince Charles His Royal Highness, a commitment to a set of WE ARE ENORMOUSLY fantastic friend of the values we share. Jewish community, was Patron of World Jewish World Jewish Relief’s PROUD THAT HIS ROYAL Relief’s hugely successful Life Vice-President, Nigel Krakow Community Centre Layton, was instrumental HIGHNESS THE PRINCE project, which was his in securing the Patronage brainchild. He opened the of The Prince of Wales. centre in 2008. He has also He said: “The support OF WALES HAS BECOME been Patron of our Wohl of His Royal Highness Livelihood Development demonstrates once again THE PATRON OF WORLD Programme in Ukraine the close connection which has helped over between the Royal Family, 2,000 people towards World Jewish Relief and JEWISH RELIEF. THIS IS getting back into work and the UK Jewish community. bringing their families out His Patronage is for our THE CULMINATION OF of poverty. full range of work, giving a ringing endorsement At this critical juncture for to our work in combating HIS LONG-STANDING the communities we help - poverty amongst the particularly in Ukraine and world’s most vulnerable INVOLVEMENT WITH Nepal - the patronage of Jewish communities and His Royal Highness could reaching beyond the Jewish not be better timed. We are communities, particularly at THE CHARITY. grateful for his long-term times of natural disasters.” 10 A gift that keeps on giving Article by Ron Millet, World Jewish Relief supporter, Leeds

Ron’s mum, Elly, recently left a gift in her will to World Jewish Relief, largely thanks to our role in organising the , which rescued her and thousands of other Jews from Nazi Germany.

My mum, Elly, was 91 when she died. In her own words, here is what that When Elly got to the UK, she moved She was a lively outgoing woman, experience was like. to Leeds. Concerts, theatre, art with a zest for life and a friendly galleries and overseas travel when smile for everyone. “… My sheltered childhood was almost no-one travelled overseas - suddenly shattered when my parents this was what she was going to do Elly was born in Vienna in 1923. told me that I had been accepted for and this is what she did. Unfortunately at the age of just 15, the Kindertransport to Britain... At the on , she was witness Western Railway Station in Vienna I’d like to thank World Jewish to Vienna being wrecked by Nazi there were hundreds of children with Relief – without them, my mum thugs. She had already suffered from their parents, crowded on that platform, wouldn’t have survived. It makes the growing prejudice of the time, hemmed in and harassed by strutting me incredibly proud that she left a cut off from her friends, banned Nazi Storm troopers. What upset me legacy to reciprocate the kindness to from school and made to feel most was seeing toddlers having to this wonderful organisation. threatened. leave their parents. Inside the train we all crowded to the windows. As For more information on leaving Her father saw what was coming and the train moved out of the station, I a gift in your will to World Jewish got her on the last Kindertransport waved frantically to my parents, tears Relief, please contact Alisa Avigdor, out of Vienna. streaming down my face. I never saw my Director of Philanthropy on father again...” 020 8736 1277 / [email protected] or visit www.worldjewishrelief.org/legacy

Elly’s record is one of 40,000 private files that World Jewish Relief holds in its historic archives. Please contact us to find out more and to see if we might hold your family history. Visit www. worldjewishrelief. org/archives 11

WE’RE CELEBRATING UK NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS DAY BAR In early October, World Jewish Relief is celebrating UK National Grandparents Day with our take on the OR BAT day – Grandparents Day at Sukkot. This is a great chance for you to We’ll be celebrating with activities MITZVAH celebrate the relationship you have in shuls and schools across the with your grandparent or grandchild, country. To find out how you or whilst also taking time to reflect on your school / shul can get involved, GIVING the lives of Jewish grandparents contact Rafi Cooper at across . [email protected] or 020 8736 1258. We are excited to be launching World Jewish Relief’s Bar/ SUMMER RAFFLE Bat Mitzvah Giving programme. 1st prize 2nd prize 3rd prize

Is your child embarking on one £3,000 Luxury Helicopter of the most important years of their lives? If they are coming cash vintage train ride over up for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah experience London and you’d like them to learn more about charitable giving, this could be the perfect way to do it. PLUS: 10 runner-up prizes of a family photoshoot Take part in our Summer Raffle and ride to see London from the skies Participants will learn about win some fantastic prizes, whilst with a glass of bubbly. Plus we have World Jewish Relief’s global work supporting our life-changing projects. 10 runner-up prizes of a family and we’ll help them to find ways photoshoot by Alan Fish, Living to raise a small amount of money Play online at worldjewishrelief.org/ World Photography. to make a huge difference. For an raffle for chances to win: an amazing initial chat or to receive your Bar/ £3,000 cash prize; a journey through Play our raffle today and support our Bat Mitzvah Giving pack please the picturesque countryside on life-changing projects. Closing date contact Samantha Martin on board the Belmond British Pullman is 12 August 2015. 020 8736 1265 or email or Belmond Northern Belle, sister [email protected] trains to the Venice Simplon-Orient- All our prizes have been generously Express; or a private helicopter donated. 12

See our work Fancy a challenge? Insight trips are the best way to truly appreciate the work of World Jewish Relief. Join us Challenge events are a great way For further information or an initial to see the impact of our work to put your fitness levels to the test chat please contact Samantha Martin first-hand and you will go home while fundraising. We have a number on 020 8736 1265 or knowing that you have made of running and cycling events you [email protected]. a difference. All trips include could take part in including the visiting, meeting and spending Milton Keynes Marathon, North If you don’t fancy running or time with the inspiring people London Half Marathon, Run to the cycling, but want to participate in a we help in their homes and at Beat (10km run), the new, exciting sponsored event, contact Samantha the Jewish Community Centres. Bear Grylls Survival Race and Ride to discuss the different options. From It is a unique opportunity to see for the Living bike ride in Poland. a sponsored silence to sky diving – firsthand the reality of living in there is something for everyone. the countries where World Jewish Relief provides help to those in need.

We are planning the following up-coming trips: Get your shul involved

OCTOBER 2015: We want to keep you updated on Check out our website for upcoming (for bar/bat mitzvah everything that we do. That’s why briefing events. children with a parent) several times a year we do public events with inspirational speakers If you would like your synagogue to MARCH 2016: talking about the countries that we partner with us to host one of these Young Professionals Trip to work in. events, we can work with you to make Moldova this happen! Recently, we hosted a Ukraine Crisis Briefing event at the Manchester Get in touch with Richard Verber on Jewish Museum, featuring leading [email protected] or international experts on Ukraine and 0208 736 1256 to find out more. international development.

Oscar Joseph House E [email protected] 54 Crewys Road T 020 8736 1250 London worldjewishrelief.org NW2 2AD @wjrelief