Our Stories From Around The World

A Leader at Heart

 A veteran of Federation partner JDC’s youth leadership programs in Ukraine, Masha couldn’t wait to become a community leader in Donetsk. When conflict arrived, she was forced to flee to safety in Kharkov, becoming one of 2,800 internally displaced Ukrainian Jews.

But Masha refused to …

Safety From Fear and Violence

When fighting broke out in Donetsk, Ukraine between the government and separatist forces last year, Raisa Libenson believed she and her family would be safe at home.

It wasn’t until a mortar shell tore through the walls and furniture of her apartment, leaving the 78-year-old temporarily d…

One Year After the Earthquakes: Moving Mountains in Nepal

The future looked bright for Mira’s family. They were saving up and had even added a new room to their modest home. Then the twin earthquakes of 2015 destroyed all their progress. By helping her tap into her passion for sewing, Federation partner JDC helped Mira lift her family out of a te…

Leaving Retirement to Help Fellow Refugees

Roman Dubovskoy was a retired psychologist living comfortably with his wife, four children, and in-laws at their home in Lugansk, Ukraine when fighting erupted last August. Suddenly, they were forced to flee 231 miles to Zaporozhye, where all eight of them now must live together under one ro…

Support for Families With Special Needs

Bader’s 19-year-old son—his oldest—has problems with his hearing and vision, and cognitive difficulties that make it challenging for him to navigate social situations. But Israel’s bureaucratic labyrinth made it difficult for Bader to procure the necessary treatments for his son.

Th…