JDC Voices Blog
Here’s How JDC and Jewish Communities Celebrate Purim Across the World
From February 28 to March 1, vibrant festivals and events will be held globally to commemorate Purim, the holiday that recounts the heroic efforts of Mordecai and Esther, the twosome who foiled Haman’s evil plan to kill the Jews in the ancient Persian Empire.
In Israel, a Love Story Brings Home Disabilities Plight
For 30-year-old Israeli couple Lior and Lotem, who met on a dating website, Valentine’s Day is especially meaningful as it marks Lotem’s birthday, which is also the same day the couple got engaged. Lior, who works at a pharmacy, and Lotem, who works at her father’s business, were married this past September in an emotional ceremony with 300 guests in attendance.
With the Last Day of Chanukah, Hope for Poor Jews Burns Bright
In a 200-year-old home in the southern Ukrainian city of Nikolaev, an elderly woman sits alone, looking out the window at the passersby. Perhaps her mind has wandered to happier times as she’s watched the hustle and bustle of the last week when fellow Jews celebrated Chanukah.
An American in Kharkov: Visiting AJT
As one of the few American participants, I felt a special bond and closeness with these amazing young people and their journey, which is far from over.
Spreading Chanukah’s Miracle of Light
Each year we celebrate Chanukah by remembering the miracle of light. Left with only one day’s worth of oil, the Maccabees found themselves with eight days of light.
Nothing About Us Without Us: Ruderman Inclusion Summit 2017
When we hear of someone who is different, someone who has a physical or mental disability, many people feel uncomfortable and create barriers in their perception. The Ruderman family has devoted their considerable time, skills and resources not only to helping people with disabilities, but also to helping everyone else to understand how much we gain by incorporating them into our lives instead, and not pushing them away.
Celebrating IFCJ and a Life-Saving JDC Partnership
Sitting with Vera, it is her tearful eyes that first grab your attention.<br><br><br><br>At 62-years-old, her struggles have been endless. But it is her inability to get through the month, the grinding poverty she experiences, that occupies her thoughts.
Natalia Finds Miracles in Simple Gifts this New Year
At Rosh Hashanah, Natalia B., a 63-year-old widow in Sumy, Ukraine, reminds us that people should always live with hope. She says 'we must believe in the good in this world, and in miracles.'
From the Hamptons to the Berkshires, JDC’s Getting Out the Word
Besides being major summer hotspots and beautiful locations, the Hamptons and the Berkshires were recently the destinations for two not-to-miss JDC events. The Amagansett-based Next Wave event hosted in the home of the Rosen Family, including JDC Board Members Leslie and Michele Rosen, and husband Stan, and the West Stockbridge-based special event held in the home of JDC Emeritus Board Member Helene Berger informed new audiences about JDC's present and past relief work.
Fostering Joy for FSU Elderly
At face value, 85-year old Morris, who lives alone in a remote, rundown cottage he built himself in Zhitomer, Ukraine is a mirror of the tragic circumstances of his life.
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