Happy Birthday JDC!!!

Today JDC celebrates 97 years of rescue, relief and renewal of Jewish communities in Israel and around the world. 

On August 31, 1914, Henry Morgenthau Sr., then U.S. ambassador to Turkey, cabled New York philanthropist Jacob Schiff, asking for $50,000 to help sustain the Jews of Ottoman Palestine, who were cut off from their normal sources of support by the outbreak of World War I. The money was raised within a month and led to the founding of the Joint Distribution Committee of American Funds for the Relief ...of Jewish War Sufferers. It became known as the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee or more popularly as the “Joint” or JDC.

For 97 years, JDC has exemplified globally the principle that all Jewish people are responsible for one another.  Active today in more than 70 countries, JDC and its partners work to rescue Jewish lives at risk, bring relief to Jews in need, renew lost bonds to Jewish identity and Jewish culture, and help Israel overcome the social challenges of its most vulnerable citizens, both Jewish and non-Jewish. JDC reach extends beyond the global Jewish community by providing non-sectarian disaster relief and long-term development assistance worldwide.

A Community of Support: All in the Family

Families of children with special needs have little support or community: the majority of available services focus on the child. There’s little help for other family members who face social isolation and constant deferral of their own needs. JDC's All in the Family Program strengthens families by offering guidance, community and leadership skills.

Lena, an Arab-Israeli woman from Acco, is a mother to five children. Her eldest child, 18-year old Raya, is mentally retarded, with ongoing medical needs that require frequent hospitalizations. Until recently, Raya was a source of shame to her family. Lena describes the difficulty she had in holding her head high in Arab society. Moreover, she did not know how to access information regarding social benefits and services that could help Raya. Distressed by the lack of support from her husband in helping with child care, Lena was on the verge of divorce.

"All in the Family" turned Lena's family around. Lena describes the support and empowerment that she’s received just in the last half year as "a warm home that took us in." In a mothers’ group, she learns from the experience and tips shared by other Arab and Jewish mothers coping with special needs children. It helps her to be more accepting and supportive of Raya.

Lena sees that her other children are following her example, improving the entire family dynamic. For example, one of Raya's sisters stood up in front of her class and spoke about Raya, her disabilities and the importance of accepting her and her special needs. Another younger sister comes with Lena and Raya to attend weekly "family playroom" activities, a positive shared experience that has enhanced the relationship between the sisters. "Family fun days" have fostered enjoyable experiences for the entire family.

All in the Family is designed to be a "home" for families of physically, developmentally, and mentally challenged children and youth (from birth to 21), offering them knowledge, positive experiences and a supportive peer community. The program serves 150 Jewish and Arab-Israeli families in and around the city of Akko, with plans to expand to three additional locations.

Reviving Baltic Jewish Communities One Camper at a Time

Irina with eleven-year-old Agata from Latvia,
who has been attending Olameinu summer camp
since age five with assistance from JDC's children
in need program
Photo: JDC website

The great history of the Baltic region as a center of Jewish learning and culture – nearly destroyed by the Holocaust and decades of communist repression – is finding expression once again, with JDC support, in the reemerging Jewish communities of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the thriving Olameinu regional Baltic summer camp, where hundreds of Jewish children of all ages eagerly embrace Jewish knowledge and tradition each year.

The personal journey of Irina O., the camp’s 26-year-old director, mirrors the renewal of Jewish life in the Baltics over the past 20 years. Today all Olameinu camps are staffed completely by directors, teachers, and madrichim (counselors) from the local Jewish community. Here’s what Irina had to share about the camp – and about building the new Jewish generation in the Baltics.

Q: Olameinu, now in its 10th year, connects young Jews with one another and with their heritage, building a strong community foundation. When does camp start and how many kids will participate?

A: So far we have 180 registered for Olameinu’s end of July session for kids ages 7-12 in Estonia. In August we expect 180 teens (ages 13-17) for the session in Lithuania and 160 students, ages 18-35, in Latvia.

Also, we have a group of 55 kids from the Baltics leaving for the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation/JDC International Summer Camp at Szarvas, Hungary.

Q: That’s a lot of children getting involved in Jewish life through camping. What was your first exposure to Judaism?

A: My Jewish journey began when I was 12 years old and my parents enrolled me in the Jewish school in Riga, where I completed 6th through 12th grade. Prior to that I knew was that I was Jewish and my mother’s parents lived in Israel (they moved there in 1995) but I didn’t grow up with Jewish traditions in my home because I was from a mixed family – a Jewish mother and Ukrainian father.

Starting Jewish school was really inspiring and changed my life! I started bringing my parents to school for all the Jewish holidays and to synagogue. My parents were happy to go because they figured if it brings the family together, why not?

Q: When did you first get involved in your Jewish community?

A: While still in school I started to volunteer as a leader and was quite successful. I’d never had the experience of being a kid at camp so when I turned 18 I went to Szarvas. I was so impressed that I sought out additional development, including the JDC-supported Kadima (Baltic madrich trainings at the Kadima School for Counselors), then Szarvas madrich training, and the regional Baltics madrich seminars.

Nine years ago I started as a madricha and then became an Olameinu coordinator. Today I’m the Olameinu camp Director and the Youth Program Director in Riga, Latvia.

Q: Your growth as a leader seems to reflect the expansion of programs for youth throughout the Baltics and even the maturity of the Jewish community in the region. What is Riga’s Jewish community like today?

A: I’ve been involved in the Jewish community professionally for eight years and I’ve seen it progress from a variety of disconnected programs to a united organization with common goals and bright leadership. I’ve seen it grow from a small community to a big, vibrant one.

For example, five years ago we had youth programs, elderly programs, programs for children, etc. Now we are all together and it is very nice to be part of something bigger, all under one roof.

Q: What is the balance between JDC’s stewardship and your community’s input into the programs you work on?

A: My team and I work all year long, creating programs for different ages. I coordinate all the youth programs (which covers a big age range, from two to 45!) We have weekly and monthly Jewish cultural programs … for small kids, families, teenagers ... and all are supported by JDC.

Both the community and JDC support our program development. They support our ideas, we jointly come up with the program goals, and then our local staff implements the programs. It’s a very good balance.

Q: With members of the community like you taking the leading role in driving the programs, is there a strong emphasis on developing young leadership to carry the torch in the future?

A: Yes, leadership development is very critical for our community.

When it comes to camping, we have many madrichim that start out in local clubs and local communities and then go on to Olameinu and Szarvas. (We also have kids that go to Szarvas and come back to be madrichim at our camp.) What’s great is that the youngsters feel that they can really contribute, participate, and fully express their ideas at our local camp. This is where they shine and I want to encourage that in every way. I see developing young Jewish leaders as a very important part of the camp that I am running.

Q: What are some of the programs that you are excited about this summer?

A: I’m excited about all of the programs because every single year I try to bring something new into the camps. This time, for example, it will be special for the kids to sing real Israeli songs with our singer from Israel and to learn Israeli rikudim from a dancer we’ve invited from Bulgaria.

This is also the first year that I am leading two of the sessions, so it is a new personal challenge for me. I am very excited about the theme that we chose: the Ten Commandments. Throughout the sessions kids will have a chance to learn about this theme and explore it through arts and crafts, workshops, games, and study sessions with their madrichim.

All in all, I feel very lucky because I get real pleasure from my work, especially when I see the kids smiling, feeling Jewish and joyous. That’s better for me than anything.

'Visiting Khabarovsk: To the edge of the world'

JTNews.net: The Voice of Jewish Washington, featured a great article last week about the recent JDC Short Terms Service trip to Khabarovsk, Russia, in partnership with the Hillel at University of Washtington's JConnect program. 

Read about this Visiting Khabarovsk: To the edge of the world.

Basketball Fun Keeps Israeli Kids Off Streets

At 13, Dror was the kind of teenager who made his parents worry about what was going on in his mind. A middle child of three, he was withdrawn and introverted, unlikely to participate in school and unwilling to confide in his family. His hardworking parents were busy balancing jobs and family; they didn’t know how to get their son to come out of his shell or ensure that he didn’t veer off on the wrong path at such a critical juncture.

When Dror’s dad, Shmuel, learned about JDC’s Fathers and Sons Basketball Program, he was excited to engage with his son in a constructive activity. He felt the team experience could strengthen their family connection, which he learned was especially critical for boys who lack strong male role models and might otherwise turn to self-destructive or violent behavior. Dror, who initially didn’t even want to hang around his dad, reluctantly agreed to sign up together for their local team in Hatikva, TelAviv.

Part of JDC’s Ashalim partnership with the Government of Israel and UJA-Federation of New York to improve services for Israel’s children and youth at risk and their families, the Fathers and Sons initiative aims to strengthen relationships between adolescent boys and their fathers during the period when teens are defining their identity and transitioning towards adulthood.

Healthy parent-child relationships, which kids living in troubled neighborhoods and families disproportionately lack, are a proven factor in building resilience among teenagers. Research also shows that a teenage boy’s perceptions of his relationship with his father are directly related to depression, his performance in school, and his feelings of self-worth. For teenagers like Dror, who come from areas with few opportunities for positive recreational activities or facing difficult social or financial circumstances, this basketball league is an outlet that helps curb potentially risky behaviors like substance abuse.

These teams pick up more than just basketball techniques on the court. “Before we start playing I meet with the fathers and make sure they understand what the program is about,” says Dror and Shmuel’s coach. “We all practice together every two weeks and in between I meet with the dads to discuss issues relating to the team as well as their sons’ progress.”

Dror, now 15, successfully completed the program with his dad, and today he continues to play on the Bnei Yehuda boys' basketball team. He spends time with Shmuel in group practices and they often train together outside, too. He has opened up, begun to excel at school, and has his first girlfriend—all of which he attributes to the support and confidence that he has received from his dad and being part of the team.

“I am delighted to see my son’s confidence grow,” says Shmuel, now team manager. All 35 father and son pairs who have participated have improved relationships, begun to do better in school, and have stopped loitering and vandalizing in their neighborhoods.

All the boys are now proud to spend time with their dads, while the fathers have learned just how important their role is in their teens’ healthy development.

Ariana, the program coordinator, describes the progress she’s seen over the past two years: “The difference today with the fathers from the group is incredible. When they first joined, many of the fathers did not realize how absent they were from their kids’ lives. Today, all of them are ‘there’ for their sons. They are providing support, warmth, and personal attention. This program is truly a chance to do a mitzvah and save a child.”

'Babushkas Just Want To Have Fun'

In a wonderful post on his blog The Wolf and the Ostrich, JDC Ralph I. Goldman Fellow Zev Nagel writes about his recent visit to Kiev and a very common sight in Ukraine, the Babushka (an old woman, in Russian). 

According to Zev, a "babushka is more than a reference to your grandmother; it is a term of endearment for the ubiquitous old ladies who gossip, drink tea together, offer obvious but sagacious advice, or sell their homegrown vegetables on the side of the road (“Babushka vegetables are the most tasty,” claims a local colleague). And there are – of course – Jewish babushkas too, some of which are clients of JDC welfare programs."

During his visit, Zev spent some time at a JDC sponsored Warm Home with a group of Babushkas and shares his experience there. 

Read the post at "Babushkas Just Want to Have Fun". 

The Latest from JDC CEO, Steve Schwager

As most of you already know, the Ralph I. Goldman Fellowship in International Jewish Service is JDC’s premier opportunity to engage young Jewish leaders. It is an unparalleled experience, providing an inside look at JDC’s global operations while enabling Fellows to craft individualized field assignments in multiple locations around the world.

This year we are fortunate to have two stand-outs as Ralph I. Goldman Fellows, Alejandro Okret and Zev Nagel. Back in April, I shared with you some reflections from Zev, who at the time was based in Budapest, Hungary. He has since been in various parts of East Asia, mapping ex-pat Jewish communities in the region, and he participated in Limmud Oz in Australia. He is currently finishing up his fellowship in Israel, working with our Africa/Asia team.

In this column, I would like to continue to update you on the very meaningful and enriching experiences that the Ralph I. Goldman Fellowship brings to the Fellows and to Jewish communities overseas by sharing some words from Alejandro.

Alejandro was first based in Jerusalem, working with TEVET employment initiatives and JDC’s Center for International Migration and Integration (CIMI). He then spent a few months working with the Jewish community in Minsk, Belarus, and recently began his final post in Budapest, Hungary.

Looking back at my experience as a JDC Ralph I. Goldman Fellow in International Jewish Service, I can say that the Alejandro I was before setting foot in JDC-HQ in New York is not the Alejandro writing these words today. And how much more meaningful it is to write these words while working at Camp Szarvas in Hungary with young Jewish campers from all around the world.

The Fellowship has allowed me to live—and to feel. In Israel, I worked with the Ministry of Economy on food security and developed financial literacy programs for foreign workers. In Europe and the former Soviet Union (FSU), I was involved with community development, which included visits to the Gesher international gathering in Bulgaria for over 300 young European Jews and JDC’s incredible Metsuda young leadership program in Ukraine. These placements truly allowed me to gain a level of understanding and admiration for the global future of Jewish life.

Belarus was home to one of my most personal and meaningful projects. In Minsk, I had the privilege of spending time with those individuals who have been designated the “Righteous Among the Nations” (also translated as Righteous Gentiles), as well as ghetto survivors. As you know, the Righteous Among the Nations is a term of honor used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their own lives during the Holocaust and gave shelter and protection to Jews.

The Righteous Among the Nations are supported by JDC. They are considered non-Nazi victims and receive assistance according to established criteria. Hesed prepares "warm homes" for them; they are always invited to community celebrations and are honored guests of the JCC at every event. Hesed also celebrates their birthdays. Yad Vashem lists 555 Righteous Among the Nations from Belarus; today only 23 of these distinguished individuals are still alive.

I wanted to learn from these Righteous Gentiles and from the Holocaust survivors, but I also wanted other people, especially the younger members of the Minsk community, to be moved by their courage and commitment. I spent time with them and listened to their stories. I was truly inspired by our interaction, and so I photographed a number of these individuals and developed poster-size prints that were displayed at Minsk’s JCC.

The goal of my project was to connect different generations to these incredible people and the remarkable bravery reflected in their stories. They enthusiastically participated in this endeavor and chose to pose for their photographs with a funny face. A blurb with their personal story is attached to each poster. I encourage you to view the unique online gallery of my project and get to know these incredible people by going to JDC’s website and clicking on JDC Next Gen’s blog.

I admit to you that I was profoundly affected by my time in Belarus. The dignity and the respect JDC pays to a community that survived oppression and has now blossomed is remarkable; and that reality has changed me forever.

In closing, I could not write something about the Fellowship without mentioning Ralph Goldman. I was privileged to sit in an office next to Ralph’s in Jerusalem, often sharing lunch with him, constantly learning from him. When it was time to leave Israel and travel to the FSU, I felt the power and energy of a teenager; I was ready for my adventure and thankful for the experience of a lifetime.

Alejandro
Writing from Szarvas, Hungary
July, 2011

Year-after-year, Ralph and I grow increasingly more inspired by our RIG Fellows. Alejandro and Zev have been no exception. As they wrap up their year of service, Irv and I thank them for their dedication and commitment to JDC’s mission; we know they will stay connected to JDC for years to come.

A visit to Odessa & Beit Grand

Alan Gill, Executive Director, International Relations at JDC, recently spent a day in the field in Odessa and shared his experience on 'Global Impact', THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore's overseas blog. 

Read about Alan's day in the field at A Visit to Odessa and Beit Grand.

Video: JDC Summer Camp in Szarvas, Hungary

Playing host each summer to approximately 1,350 Jewish campers and counselors from more than 20 countries, the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation-JDC International Summer Camp at Szarvas, Hungary has secured its reputation as a premier and much sought-after informal Jewish educational venue for children from all parts of the Jewish world.

Since its opening in 1990, Szarvas has also succeeded in nurturing a generation of potential Jewish community leaders comfortable with the idea of working together across national borders. Now a year-round facility, the camp has become the venue for Machol Hungaria and for many of the training seminars for madrichim (youth leaders) organized by JDC’s international community development team, and different segments of the Hungarian community have also begun to avail themselves of the legendary “Szarvas experience.”