MASORTI OLAMI UPDATE

Adar II 5776/March 2016 www.masortiolami.org

Masorti Olami Purim Campaign for Ukraine Masorti Communities

Masorti Olami calls upon all our friends and supporters worldwide to give generously this Purim to a special campaign for our communities in Ukraine by clicking here. The call to fulfill the mitzvah of Matanot L'evyonim - Gifts for the Needy - must be heard as our Jewish communities in Ukraine continue to struggle with the repercussions of the ongoing war, which began in 2014.

In Kiev, Kharkov, Chernowitz, Berdichev, Odessa and throughout Ukraine, our Jewish communities are taking in refugees, Holocaust survivors, orphans, students and aging heroic soldiers from WW2, displaced from their homes in Donetsk, Luhansk and other war-torn areas.

Unemployment is rising and food shortages persist. Low cost housing is scarce. Prices have skyrocketed due to the steep decline of the local currency. Civilians are being mobilized. Families face separation.

Rabbi Reuven Stamov, Spiritual leader of Kehillat Masoret, Kiev, has shared with Masorti Olami:

"Our communities provide a sense of belonging and spiritual well-being for those who have lost so much. Refugees have been integrated into Masorti communities in Ukraine, attend tefillot and participate in activities even though their problems remain significant. Forced to flee, they left behind homes, belongings, jobs and friends. Those who can find work settle for menial jobs instead of positions in their trained professions. A few individuals learned how to shecht, giving them a sense of purpose and contributing to the community. I want to provide a support system to help them start over. I want the ability to provide both our veteran members and our refugee families a hot Shabbat meal every week and Jewish learning to warm their souls for a few short hours to take their minds off the constant worry that has become their lives."

Embrace the spirit of Purim and give generously today to the Masorti Olami Purim Campaign for Masorti Communities in Ukraine by clicking here: https://masortiolami.org/ukraine-purim-appeal/.

What is needed most? Where will your contributions go?

Basic Food Supplies. Our communities provide packages of food staples especially for Purim, Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.

Personal Necessities. Many are unable to afford even the necessities of everyday life such as clothing, personal care products and essential medication. Due to the difficult situation, children and the elderly are at higher risk for illness.

School. Families are unable to pay tuition for the TALI-Shalavim Day School in Kharkov. Moreover, the school takes in refugee and orphaned children. In addition to a strong education, the school, with its compassionate staff, provides daily structure and stability during these uncertain times.

Pesach Seders, Shabbat Meals and Hot Lunches within our Communities.

Our meals have become venues for providing physical, as well as spiritual sustenance. Communal meals bridge generations, add to the feeling of being home and connect everyone through the traditions of Masorti Judaism. The Odessa community could only hold a Pesach seder last year with the help of Masorti Olami.

Scholarships for Family Camp. Our families from across Ukraine look forward to a five-day respite at camp this summer. In light of the wartime conditions, the camp provides vital benefits: three wholesome nourishing meals a day, safe recreation and a warm, welcoming environment where they can rest from the daily tensions and feel part of the Jewish people. A few individuals are taught how to shecht (ritually slay) chickens which trains them for a profession and provides inexpensive chicken for the community. Security needs have made camp more expensive than in previous years. Many of our families can no longer afford even the very modest fees they paid for camp in the past.

The Masorti communities in Ukraine thank you for your donation.

The activities of the Masorti Movement in Ukraine are implemented in partnership

with Midreshet Yerushalayim.