(Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Krivoi Rog, Donetsk, and Kyiv) Report of a ...

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32 Boston. Beit Baruch offers conditioning classes, physical therapy, arts and crafts, and other programs to its residents. Ms. Kizhner stated that 43 of the current residents are suffering from dementia, 28 have had strokes, and 16 have had heart attacks. Twenty-four have cancer. Eighteen have diabetes, five of whom require insulin. (Some residents suffer from more than one of these conditions.) Many are bed-ridden. Eleven residents died in 2010, the eldest of whom was 99; the most common cause of death was cancer. Additionally, continued Ms. Kizhner, 15 people left the facility in 2010 to join relatives in other countries, most in Israel or Germany. Alexandra Kizhner, the manager of Beit Baruch, is respected by Beit Baruch residents and other members of the Dnipropetrovsk Jewish community as well. She had emigrated to Israel and worked in a senior housing facility there before returning to Dnipropetrovsk. Photo: the writer. 18. Adopt-A-Bubbe/Adopt-A-Zayde is an independent assistance program created by Dr. Judith Patkin, the Executive Director of Action for Post-Soviet Jewry in Waltham, MA. The Dnipropetrovsk organization supports elderly Jews in Dnipropetrovsk itself and in 15 additional cities or large towns and numerous smaller towns in eastern, central, and southern Ukraine. 30 However, the total number of towns served has declined as Jewish populations in these villages have diminished to the point where service calls are economically prohibitive. At any given time, said Yan Sidelkovsky, 31 who, along with his wife Tanya Sidelkovsky, directs AAB operations in the Dnipropetrovsk region, approximately 1,000 Jewish seniors are in their service census. Elderly people who die are replaced by younger pensioners; the younger pensioners may have greater needs because they do not receive the government pension bonuses given to veterans of World War II. The program also supports some working-age Jews who are chronically ill or handicapped, as well as some Jewish families with young children in which the parents are unemployed. The Sidelkovskys are assisted by local coordinators in most of the larger Jewish population centers in which AAB is active; the coordinators receive modest stipends for their work, but these stipends are less than full salaries. In some cities, volunteer physicians also are enlisted in AAB efforts. The program attempts to address 30 The program also operates in several other cities. However, this report deals only with the actions that are directed from its Dnipropetrovsk office. In addition to assisting Jews, Adopt-A-Bubbe also reaches out to elderly Righteous Gentiles, i.e., those from families who helped Jews during the Holocaust. 31 Yan Sidelkovsky also represents the Boston Jewish community in Dnipropetrovsk. See pages 48-49. Tanya Sidelkovsky was visiting one of the smaller AAB communities, along with Dr. Patkin, who was in Dnipropetrovsk at the time that the writer spoke with Mr. Sidelkovsky.
33 individual needs, providing food, clothing, and medicine according to the requirements of each client. It works with local physicians and with physicians and pharmaceutical outlets in the United States to fill prescriptions. Adopt-a-Bubbe also provides medicines to Beit Baruch in Dnipropetrovsk, and medicines and medical supplies (such as syringes, catheters, and surgical instruments) to several hospitals, both as general assistance and as a “guarantee” of admission and competent treatment for AAB clients requiring hospitalization. Mr. Sidelkovsky stated that the need for AAB services has grown as inflation continues to erode purchasing power and the Joint Distribution Committee continues to reduce assistance to Jewish elderly and other Jews in need. The cost of gasoline and other fuels has increased 30 to 35 percent during the last year., said Mr. Sidelkovsky, affecting prices paid for public transportation, electricity, and heating. Prices are raised incrementally several times over the course of a year, an approach that Mr. Sidelkovsky termed “soft” escalation. Buckwheat (гречика), a staple of the Ukrainian diet, has disappeared from stores, along with wheat, sugar, and milk, said Mr. Sidelkovsky. Some of these products are local, he continued, and a record amount of wheat was harvested in Ukraine last season. He attributed the food shortages to monopoly control of markets, a situation endorsed by the government as it placates wealthy profiteers and generates higher tax revenues from increased prices. The nutrition content of sausages has been reduced, he noted, as the government has approved the usage of artificial additives or extenders as replacement for real meat. Prices of fruits and vegetables have soared in recent months. The political scene in Ukraine is just as disturbing as the economic situation, continued Mr. Sidelkovsky. Politicians are fighting constantly in the Rada (parliament), mainly over pensions and other benefits awarded to themselves. Ordinary people, especially poor people, live under enormous stress, which leaves them vulnerable to disease. Many people have lost hope. Mr. Sidelkovsky said that he does not understand how individuals manage independently, without help from someone else or from a welfare organization. Yan Sidelkovsky (right) plays a prominent role in the Boston-Dnipropetrovsk Jewish sister-city relationship. He is the local representative of the JCRC-Combined Jewish Philanthropies effort in Dnipropetrovsk and he works with his wife Tanya in the Adopt-a-Bubbe program. (Tanya Sidelkovsky was visiting several of the AAB communities at the time of the writer’s interview.) Photo: Chabad of Dnipropetrovsk. Other than the distribution of food and medicines, perhaps the most popular Adopt-a-Bubbe program is the warm home day centers, which are held in the
Page 1 and 2: OBSERVATIONS ON JEWISH COMMUNITY LI
Page 3 and 4: 3 begin to pay taxes that they had
Page 5 and 6: 5 Dnipropetrovsk Founded in 1778 on
Page 7 and 8: 7 The major entrance to the Menorah
Page 9 and 10: 9 The preschool is operating “at
Page 11 and 12: 11 pupils (503) and the number of y
Page 13 and 14: 13 families whose relationship to C
Page 15 and 16: 15 boys’ home (a former synagogue
Page 17 and 18: 17 The overwhelming majority of lit
Page 19 and 20: 19 homes, sometimes bringing them s
Page 21 and 22: 21 program in Kharkiv come to Beit
Page 23 and 24: 23 return for the teaching done by
Page 25 and 26: 25 started as more funds become ava
Page 27 and 28: 27 Holocaust, and rebirth of Jewish
Page 29 and 30: 29 manufacturer inevitably will ent
Page 31: 31 Two newcomers were expected to j
Page 35 and 36: 35 managing. He has heard of very f
Page 37 and 38: 37 committee for the clinic was est
Page 39 and 40: 39 Jewish community. Another 120 in
Page 41 and 42: 41 Natalia Rier, who directs the lo
Page 43 and 44: 43 speakers are fluent in English a
Page 45 and 46: 45 The consul noted that the ICC wi
Page 47 and 48: 47 Ms. Katz confirmed that Hesed Me
Page 49 and 50: 49 Dnipropetrovsk. The relationship
Page 51 and 52: 51 It is very difficult to raise mo
Page 53 and 54: 53 are the daughters of local rabbi
Page 55 and 56: 55 requires that all private school
Page 57 and 58: 57 Vkontakte, to recruit students a
Page 59 and 60: 59 seniors purchase in order to rec
Page 61 and 62: 61 Rabbi Moskovitz noted, a busines
Page 63 and 64: 63 writer met with George Faingold,
Page 65 and 66: 65 males if they would willingly se
Page 67 and 68: 67 utilities, petrol, transportatio
Page 69 and 70: Jewish Education and Culture 69 44.
Page 71 and 72: 71 46. It is common in Ukraine and
Page 73 and 74: 73 purchase new clothing. Donetsk,
Page 75 and 76: 75 The fitness hall is a gift from
Page 77 and 78: 77 National and International Jewis
Page 79 and 80: 79 drain”, but she doesn’t yet
Page 81 and 82: Jewish Education and Culture 81 52.
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83 Surrounding the prayer hall are
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85 the program is very expensive to
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87 preschools. Authorities could fo
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89 in its generally poor neighborho
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91 connected to the Internet; howev
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93 60. Rabbi Yonatan and Mrs. Ina M
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95 accounting procedures require th
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97 Other individuals in Kyiv with w
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99 64. An organization bearing the
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101 group, but the young women them
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103 worked in Jewish schools and ca
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105 Lo Tishkach arranges all travel
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107 Ukraine in this period. They cl
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109 kashrut, and/or work in secular
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111 Odesa, said Rabbi Dukhovny, pro
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The writer observed 12 to 15 univer
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115 and funds simply do not exist,
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117 rightwing antisemites, i.e., ne
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119 songs, the Holocaust, Jewish he
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121 countries are eligible for aliy
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123 The JDC welfare caseload in the
Page 125 and 126:
125 In response to a question, both
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127 Commentary 84. The Jewish popul
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129 accommodates modernity and thei
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(Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Krivoi Rog, Donetsk, and Kyiv) Report of a ...

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