Faces of The Fellowship: Hava

The Fellowship  |  July 2, 2020

Hava has unbelievable spirit for her age — 94 years old. She doesn’t let herself sit still. Her motto is: “If you want to stay alive, get up and move!”

A Holocaust survivor, Hava has relied on that strong spirit to make it through difficult times. She recalls being evacuated to the Ural Mountains in western Russia in a wagon during the war: “Mother was squeezing us so tight my sister said, ‘Mama, you will kill me with your hug!’”

Now in her later years, Hava is widowed, nearly blind, and diabetic. She can’t imagine life without her homecare worker, Musya, who cooks, cleans, and cares for her. “Thanks to her, I know I am still alive and not alone,” Hava explains. Hava’s day begins with an early phone call from Musya. “Musya asks me how feel, what I need. Then she comes, fills my fridge with the meals she’s cooked, makes sure everything is clean and under control, and only then she leaves,” Hava says.

Hava cooks a lot of traditional Jewish meals, too. But storing the food in a proper way only became possible a few years ago, after the Fellowship-supported Hesed organization helped her purchase a fridge.

Thanks to YOU, our wonderful supporters, this dear woman feels that there are people who want to help her live with dignity and stay as independent as possible. “I wish everyone would have such a good life as I have,” she says. “I feel taken care of!”

How You Can Help

With the coronavirus still impacting the everyday life of Jews in Israel and throughout the world, we are taking every precaution while still providing for the needs of elderly Jews and Holocaust survivors. Elderly have been provided basic essentials and the continued support of home care workers. Learn how you can help today.