Valentina lives in Tiberias and has been in Israel since she made aliyah from Russia in 1995 with her late husband, Edward. Being 85 years old, she was only nine months old when World War II broke out in the former Soviet Union. As a toddler, she remembers the Victory Day celebration in 1945 in the streets of Moscow.
However, Valentina’s family’s real battle has always been with poverty. This was the case when her father was drafted into the Red Army, and her mother raised her and her two sisters on her own. Unfortunately, Valentina still struggles in Israel, with Edward’s death two years ago leaving her alone, and the war that began on October 7 filling her with an all-too-familiar feeling of heartbreak. Thankfully, her neighbors were able to rush her into a bomb shelter –but she may not be so lucky next time as they are not always around.
This is where The Fellowship is proud to come in. As a beneficiary of our With Dignity and Fellowship program, Valentina is one of thousands of elderly Israelis receiving essential aid like food, medicine, and care. For her, these aid packages are more than a gift – they assure her of wellness and stability and remind her that there are people who care. As someone with asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, and back problems, this aid is very much a lifeline.
But support from The Fellowship is truly a light in the darkness. Valentina said, “It warms my heart to know that there are people out there who care – who make sure we have food on the table.”
