| Joseph, Can you imagine living through a Russian winter with no heat in your home? People like Anna Karabut, who, as a child, survived Nazi brutality in a concentration camp. Now she suffers through harsh Russian winters in a house with little food, no central heat, no indoor plumbing, and no running water. Anna simply could not survive without the food, assistance and winter relief she receives thanks to IFCJ donors like you. My friend, there are thousands of elderly Jews — like Anna — who live in miserable, squalid conditions in the former Soviet Union, constantly making the heartbreaking choice between buying food, medicine, heating fuel or other essentials. I fear that many may not make it through another winter without our help. During the dead of winter, many elderly and infirm are unable to leave their home for days or weeks at a time. Ensuring that they have food, heating fuel and basic necessities is absolutely critical. Isaiah teaches us “comfort ye, comfort ye, my people.” Today, I urge you to say to these desperate people — 'We stand with you, we will comfort you, we will be there for you and you can count on us.' There are so many lonely elderly, including Holocaust survivors like Anna, living in shocking poverty — with your help, we can make a meaningful difference in their lives. With prayers for shalom, peace,  Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President
| PS | Jewish people in the former Soviet Union are not only facing a long, cold winter, but also a rise in anti-Semitism throughout the region. They are denied opportunities and live in constant fear and unimaginable poverty. |
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