Last Hanukkah, Fellowship staff visited Sergii and Alona and their five children at the Tikva community in Bucharest, Romania. For years, Fellowship-supported Tikva has been a lifeline for hundreds of Jewish families and orphaned children.
Moving to Israel had been Sergii and Alona’s dream even before they relocated to Romania from Odesa, Ukraine when war began in 2022. After this, The Fellowship helped support the Tikva community’s move from Odesa to Bucharest. Sergii, Alona, and their five children fled with only one suitcase.
Sergii said that they lost literally everything during their move. But, thanks to The Fellowship’s support, they were able to be sustained in Bucharest alongside their community for the next three years until they were able to make aliyah. We’re proud to share that Sergii, Alona, and their children moved to Israel last summer with the help of The Fellowship.
“Moving to Israel had long been our dream,” Sergey shares. “Even when we were still living in Odesa, we were planning to make aliyah. It was just hard to make the decision—after all, Odesa is the place where we were born. The Fellowship helped us tremendously with the consular process. All of the logistics were perfect. The Fellowship bought our tickets, met us at the airport, and provided significant financial support upon arrival.”
This year, they received Hanukkah care packages with diapers for their young children and money for clothes. The Fellowship also bought the family a washing machine and a refrigerator. Sergii reflected that when they light the Hanukkah candles this year, they will pray that miracles like the ones The Fellowship provides never cease.
“For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28).
