Imagine if your grandparents, or great-grandparents survived the war and never left Russia. What would their lives be like today? Of the million Jews remaining in the former Soviet Union, most are elderly and living in poverty. Intermarriage among the young is approaching 80%. The State used to supply everything; now people are on their own, without the network of community services that we enjoy here.

Today, however, the Jewish community in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine is thriving through initiatives of the Dnepropetrovsk Kehillah Program, a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council, supported by CJP and its partner agencies. By sharing our best practices and demonstrating the impact of philanthropy, we are helping this community take responsibility for itself – and its more vulnerable members – seniors, children and people with disabilities.

The Corky Ribakoff Women’s Health Clinic is the premier women’s healthcare facility for the region’s entire population. The Pediatric Clinic is inoculating thousands of children against common childhood diseases. Beit Baruch Assisted Living Facility for the Elderly – the first of its kind in the former Soviet Union – allows elderly residents to live with dignity and provides them with much-needed healthcare, food and support services. Children with special needs and their families are becoming active participants in their community.

This year a new initiative, in partnership with Jewish Vocational Service, will offer women at-risk the chance to advance themselves in business. The Micro-Enterprise Project for Women will promote greater economic self-sufficiency, creating opportunities for participants to take control of their personal, financial and professional lives.