“Keren Yedidut Leyeladim” Celebrates Grand Opening in Moscow in Support of Thousands of Needy Children Across the FSU

MOSCOW, Russia — The International fellowship of Christan’s and Jews launched a partnership with the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and the Ohr Avner Foundation to assist thousands of needy Jewish children across the Former Soviet Union.

Sponsors gathered in Moscow for the formal opening of the Keren Yedidut Foundation the affiliate offices of the International fellowship of Christians and Jews in the CIS, which has begun providing regular food packages and new clothing to needy children across the Former Soviet Union with the newly launched network in CIS called Keren Yedidut Leyeladim.

The festive inauguration, which was well attended by multiple generations, was also attended the founder and president of this charity, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, accompanied by his wife.

The FJC and Or Anver welcomed and thanked the founder and President of the IFCJ Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein for his visionary support in supporting this new CIS wide initiative with an initial 2.3 million dollars.

The specifically non-missionary Fellowship of Christians and Jews is designed to channel charitable giving from Christian individuals and communities predominantly in the US toward purely humanitarian aid to Jewish communities in Israel and the former Soviet Union. The organization has raised and distributed over half a billion dollars in the past 10 years, millions of it going into programs such as Keren Yedidut. The previous six months have seen a pilot program with the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS receiving $2,300,000 serving over 9,000 children.

During their visit to the ‘Shaarei Tsedek’ Center, the couple enjoyed a tour of this recently-constructed building, which will host the Moscow center of operations for this invaluable charity. It has already been operating for some time now, offering food parcels, clothing and footwear to poor children across the Former Soviet Union. The ceremony featured a series of photos and video material demonstrating the foundation’s activity, after which Rabbi Ekstein personally took part in distributing winter clothing and footwear to program beneficiaries.

Rabbi Eckstein said “The opening of the Keren Yedidut foundation and reviewing first hand the results of the pilot support, marks a decision to continue and double IFCJ support, based on the professionalism, dedication, and practical success of FJC and the Or Avner associates”.

The celebration involved many high-profile guests, including Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, FJC President Lev Leviev. Also in attendance were top officials from the Ohr Avner Foundation – Shlomo Peles, and Rabbi David Mondshine, Director of the Or Avner Foundation.

Opening the ceremony, Golda Kleinberg spoke about how ‘Keren Edidut Leyeladim in Russia and the CIS’ has greatly capacitated the Jewish community of Sokol-Aeroport, one of Moscow’s larger neighborhoods. The aid it has provided has allowed her and her husband, Rabbi Boruch Kleinberg, to provide much needed material assistance to families who are otherwise experiencing difficulties.

Jewish leaders spoke about the mutual relations between ‘Keren Edidut’ and the FJC CIS. “It is no coincidence that the foundation has begun to work from this building, called ‘Shaarei Tsedek’ ,” commented Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar. “The Torah states that everyone must engage in Tzedaka, which better translates as Justice’. And we must always remember that charity is not simply help but is actually Juctice”.

In his turn, FJC President Lev Leviev remarked on the mitzvah of Tzedaka. “The objective of the organization where we now find ourselves is to assist every Jew according to his needs,” he stated, noting that this mitzvah is important both for those receiving it and those who give it. he thanked Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein for his support and the organizations initiative.