Jewish Orphans in Ukraine Rejoin Community through JDC's Children's Initiative

It is another snowy Ukrainian afternoon, but 4-year old Yuri is excited. Today is Friday and that means it's time for his weekly field trip to a Hesed Jewish community center in Dnepropetrovsk. Soon, the Hesedmobile van pulls up to the State orphanage where Yuri lives, and along with nearly a dozen other children, he hops on board.

Each week, through a pilot program developed cooperatively between the Jewish community of Dnepropetrovsk and the municipal authorities, these Jewish orphans get their first taste of Jewish culture, community and heritage through age-appropriate activities at the Hesed. The program is part of the JDC 'Children's Initiative.' "I like the songs!" chirps Yuri when asked what he does at the center.

Yuri's father abandoned the family shortly after he was born, and for the past two years his mother has been incarcerated, making him a ward of the state. Irina, a JDC-trained social worker at the Hesed says the Friday visits are the culmination of diplomatic tasks and detective work done behind the scenes. "It started with identifying the Jewish children who are in this situation. This meant reviewing records that are not easily accessible. Then, once we located these children, we began talks with the orphanage. To avoid any preferential practices by the orphanage, we include non-Jewish children on the Friday visits as well."

Irina noted that while the state is taking proper care of their basic needs and providing a good environment, these Jewish children, "Through no fault of their own, have been cut-off from the Jewish community. Here, for a few hours each Friday, we can make them aware that there is a world of love and acceptance to which they belong. We sing, play games, have nutritious snacks, draw pictures and have story-time. At the end of visit, everyone gets a hug and a kiss, and a 'Shabbat Shalom'".

The visits also benefit other Hesed clients who delight in making the children's visits as full and happy as possible. One Hesed volunteer - a grandmother whose family lives far away – makes ponchos for the children to wear and bring back to the orphanage. "Yes, this is your poncho," she assures them as she helps them don the knitted capes. "You may keep it."

"The connection these children are forming is important," Irina says. "We want them to know that they do have a family. That we, the Jewish people, are like a big family. And they are an important part of that family."