‘You Make a Real Difference’
The Fellowship | October 31, 2024
Bella was 7 years old when World War II broke out in the former Soviet Union and her family was forced to evacuate from Moscow.
“I remember very clearly this horrible journey,” Bella says. “All the people were put on a freight train – wagons without windows or doors, and with no water or toilets. The number of people in each wagon was enormous, people were squeezed one into another.” Many people died from the extreme conditions and lack of resources on the rough journey. Bella says it’s a horrible memory.
When they arrived in Tajikistan, they were housed in tents with no floor. There was no running water, no food, and Bella remembers her diet consisted of “small pieces of bread with some cotton oil and some salt that I sucked during the day.” Times were so terrible that her youngest sibling died at just 11 months from pneumonia, as they all depended on their 27-year-old mother.
The years after the war were made difficult as well. It still was challenging for the family to get enough food, and anti-Semitism was very prevalent, which affected all aspects of Bella’s life, like her educational opportunities, career opportunities, and wellbeing. After so many life difficulties, Bella was overjoyed to finally make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) years later.
Even after so many life challenges, she feels blessed to not only live in the Holy Land, but to have helpful friends around the world who provide her deliveries of food, as well as comfort and care – helping her in her old age.
“I want to thank The Fellowship and all the donors who are involved in this important work for everything you do. You make a real difference in the lives of people in need like me.”
