Sharing God’s Love

The Fellowship  |  January 16, 2020

Imagine…fleeing your home in a dirty cattle car at the tender age of five after Nazis invaded your Jewish community in Ukraine looking for Jews to slaughter.

Imagine…nearly starving and freezing to death while battling disease and illness — and witnessing your loved ones die in these same conditions.

Imagine…having only half of a withered apple and a tiny scrap of bread to eat…80 years later.

This is Sofia’s story. And that’s what we found in Sofia’s kitchen when we visited.

Sofia tried to rebuild her life after the war. She became a teacher, made aliyah (immigrated to Israel), and got married. But while they were still newlyweds, Sofia’s husband passed away — leaving her with the sting of loneliness once more.

Decades later, Sofia now faces new challenges in her older years. She has a debilitating disease in her knee, making it difficult to move around her home and do daily tasks.

She has no way to support herself, and the meager pension she receives from the government only stretches so far.

So Sofia started going without…

“When I saw that apple in her kitchen, I turned my eyes to heaven and thanked God that a Fellowship friend sacrificially donated a food box for Sofia. We got there just in time.” — Yael Eckstein

Sofia wanted to express just how deeply thankful she is for Fellowship donors who share their love and compassion with her — calling you her only companions. “Thank you so much! There are not enough words to say thank you to you. And I speak on behalf of all the elderly and others you help.”

Sophia’s life began in misery. We can’t change that. But we CAN help her live her final years in dignity. Thank you for being a beacon of hope to the most vulnerable Jewish people around the world who are helped through your support.