IFCJ Extends Support to FSU Jewish Children
Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Rabbi Eckstein & Lev Leviev Attend Moscow Center Inauguration

As a sign of its growing involvement with the former Soviet Union's Jewish community, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) participated in the inauguration of a new 'Kindness (Hesed) Center' in Moscow, together with the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS (FJC). The new center will serve as headquarters for a program to aid needy Jewish children throughout the region.

Begun in 2007 as a pilot project, IFCJ's efforts have focused on providing food and winter clothing to more than 9,000 Jewish children, at a cost of $2.3 million. Run in cooperation with the FJC and the Ohr Avner Foundation, the program has succeeded in improving the lives of underprivileged Jewish children and families living in difficult conditions, especially during harsh winter months.

Attending the ceremony on February 20th were Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, IFCJ Founder & President; Lev Leviev, Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS; Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of the Russian Federation; Rabbi David Mondshine, Director of the Ohr Avner Foundation, as well as staff and members of the local Jewish community.

"IFCJ and its supporters, most of whom are Christians, place great importance on assuring the wellbeing of Jewish children who would otherwise not have enough food or adequate clothing during the cold Russian winters," said Rabbi Eckstein. "After witnessing the astounding results of our pilot program, I am happy to announce that IFCJ will significantly expand its support for this program."

Rabbi Eckstein (right) helping needy Jewish children

At the ceremony, Mr. Leviev praised Rabbi Eckstein and IFCJ, noting that the new center will help facilitate assistance to the needy. "I want to bless Rabbi Eckstein and IFCJ for this partnership between our two organizations," he said. "Rabbi Eckstein is a man who comes and helps people wherever he sees a need. As a result of this relationship, the Jews of the FSU have a much better life, as well as a much brighter future."

Through the FJC and Ohr Avner, as well as other cooperative programs with the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Chabad movement, IFCJ helps nearly 53,000 Jewish children annually across the former Soviet Union by providing hot meals, medical supplies, clothing, and other necessities.

Founded in 1983, IFCJ has a dual mission to foster better understanding and cooperation between Christian and Jews and to build broad support for Israel and the Jewish people around the world. IFCJ works to help Jews immigrate to Israel from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, India and other troubled countries; fight poverty and aid victims of war and terrorism in Israel; and extend aid to poor elderly Jews and orphans in the former Soviet Union. For general information about IFCJ, please visit: www.ifcj.org.

For more details about this release or to request an interview with a senior IFCJ representative, please contact: