It is estimated there are between five-hundred-thousand to one-and-a-half million survivors of the Holocaust still alive today. Each month about one percent of these people pass on. Too often, their last years have been spent in nearly the same conditions in which they survived in the camps. These who suffered so much, continue to suffer---don''t they deserve better? We can help ease their last years. We can do something to care for their daily needs, and that we are supporting them in tangible ways.

Currently, a fleet of trucks and vans take food, clothing, and other supplies around the area of Poland, Ukraine, Russia, and other countries of the former Soviet Union. There, local distribution centers give out much needed food, clothing, and medicine.

Chevra means friendship. Our goal is to help our people in their time of need.

As people in the west began to hear of our work, they began to help by sending food, clothing and medicine. Most of this help came from people in England, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland. As quickly as aid came in, the amount of people that approached us for help also increased.

Eventually, people in the United States and Canada began to send help, and others became part of the group of workers. We are actively involved in many countries, and go by different names in each country, as laws regarding humanitarian organizations vary from country to country.

Chevra is the American entity for our international effort. Some countries are "giving countries" while others are "receiving countries." We have been so blessed and are so rich in North America and we have the ability to do much to alleviate the suffering and needs of others.

We have been working with a group of Polish Jewish Veterans who were partisans during the war, fighting the Nazis. They made us aware of fifteen holocaust survivors in Poland who are in dire conditions and need us to supplement their income by $300 each. It would come to a total of $4,500 a month, funds we don''t have. We are making a spe­cial appeal for people to help these elderly survivors of the holocaust in Poland. If you can help with a one-time gift, or monthly, large or small, it would go a long way in helping these needy Jewish survivors, and we would be grateful. We are limited in what we can do, but we want to do everything we can.

(December 2011)