“If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. . . Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.”
(Isaiah 58:9b-12)

Isaiah 58 helps Jewish orphans and the elderly living in the former Soviet Union: IFCJ Case Study

Susana, 85, lives alone in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. She never married or had children, and has no living relatives.

Life as an elderly Jew in this part of the world is a constant struggle, filled with poverty, isolation, and loneliness. Susana lives in a dilapidated two room flat, with one room uninhabitable due to fire damage. Her meager monthly pension of $55 is simply not enough to cover even her most basic living expenses or the medications she needs to treat her high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.

Thankfully for Susana, The Fellowship’s Isaiah 58 partners fund a nearby Hesed center. Through Hesed—a Hebrew word meaning “loving kindness”—Susana is provided with critically important goods and services like home care, medical assistance, food packages, and rehabilitation equipment. She also enjoys an active social life at Hesed’s Day Center, where she has the opportunity to enjoy the company of other people her age.

Susana recognizes the importance of Hesed in her life. She is especially grateful for the friendships that have grown and blossomed since she started visiting the center. “Very few people know how difficult it is to be so lonely,” she says. “I am lucky to have the support of Hesed and to be able to participate in the Day Center program. Because of Hesed I have a family here!”

There are thousands of elderly Soviet Jews like Susana who live in shocking poverty and rely on Isaiah 58 for their survival. Please give to Isaiah 58 today to help ease their suffering.