OPINION

Finding The Real Meaning Of Jewish Unity:
A Voyage to St. Petersburg

0

ne of the benefits of being a deliver services in 58 countries around singing Israeli folk songs. This, I
thought, is redemption. Here, once
professional serving the Jew- the world.
Sophia
asked
me
to
bring
back
to
again,
we have the return of the Jews
ish community is the
the
Jews
of
Detroit
her
thanks
for
the
against
all odds; an event perhaps no
opportunities I have to meet
support
provided
by
our
community,
less
miraculous
than the recapturing
Jews from many different parts of the
and
for
not
forgetting
her.
of
the
Temple,
as
told in the story of.
world.
Despite
the
overwhelm-
Chanukah
—
another
tale of
I recently returned from a
ing plight of Russia's elderly redemption.
conference of campaign
Jews, we were impressed by
Among our many contacts with
directors who were repre-
the
vibrant
optimism
the
Jews of St. Petersburg was a
senting 60 North American
expressed
by
St.
Peters-
touching
visit with the Ginsburg
Jewish community federa-
burg's
Jewish
communal
family.
We
met Sasha, the 10-year-
tions. Among the most
leaders.
old
wrestling
champion of St. Peters-
inspiring aspects of the trip
The
St.Petersburg
Jewish
burg,
who
hopes
to represent Russia
was the time that we spent
community
is
reawakening
at
the
next
World
Maccabi Games in
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
after
80
years
of
oppression.
Jerusalem.
Sasha's
sister,
Eugenia, is
Our St. Petersburg experi-
The
community
already
studying
in
Israel
through
a Jewish
MIC HAEL
ence reflected the dual
boasts
50
Jewish
organiza-
Agency
program
called
"Selah."
GIL BERT
themes of hardship and hope
tions, including Jewish
Eugenia hopes to stay in Israel to
that have been so prevalent
Spec ial to
schools,
a
Jewish
library,
a
study medicine. Upon her acceptance
in our history as a people.
The Jew ish News
local
Hillel
and
a
Jewish
to medical school, her family intends
The Jews of St. Petersburg
community
center.
Two
to make aliyah.
are suffering and celebrating; many
hundred
volunteers
deliver
1,000
Think about it: Here we have five
are poor and many are hungry — but
meals
daily
—
an
amazing
develop-
Jews
from various locations in North
they are also thriving on their newly
ment
in
a
society
where
there
were
no
America,
sitting with a Jewish family
won freedom to build a Jewish com-
volunteers
because
the
state
was
in
Russia,
talking about their daugh-
munity.
supposed
to
take
care
of
everyone's
ter
in
Israel.
We still have Jewish
Of the 100,000 Jews who live in
needs.
unity,
and
it
is still based upon our
St. Petersburg, 30,000 are elderly.
One of them, Sophia, a sharp-witted
87-year-old woman, welcomed five
of us into her tiny, dilapidated apart-
ment.
Like most elderly Jews in Russia,
Sophia lives alone. Sophia's first hus-
band was killed by Stalin. Her second
husband was killed during the Nazi
siege of 1941-44, in which 2 million
of the city's 3 million residents per-
ished, including 250,000 Jewish men.
Her only son was killed, in her words,
"by the Russian health care system."
Sophia has no one. She cannot
leave her apartment due to a weak
heart. Her 40 years of work as a jour-
nalist for an arts magazine has earned
her a pension of $60 a month, $25 of
which she spends on medications.
You and I, however, have not aban-
doned Sophia. In fact, we play a vital-
ly important role in her life. Sophia
receives regular medical attention,
home visits, help with personal
grooming and, most important, one
sacred tradition of caring for each
No longer having to repress their
hot meal per day, thanks to the amaz-
Jewish
identities,
Jews
in
St.
Peters-
other.
ing front-line work of the American
burg
are
doing
what
Jews
do
A trip to St. Petersburg has
Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
much to offer. The cathe-
best:
righting
social
wrongs
(JDC). The JDC receives funds from
A JDC staffer in drals are awesome. The Her-
through
acts
of
tzedakah.
our contributions to the Allied Jewish
St. Petersburg
It is said that during . the
mitage and the palaces are
Campaign, and uses those dollars to
delivers
a food
incredible. But it is connect-
time of miracles, no one was
package to an
ing
with fellow Jews, and
aware of the miracles occur-
elderly woman.
comparing
notes as to where
ring
around
them
because
Michael Gilbert is the Campaign
we
are,
together,
in the great
they
seemed
commonplace.
director of the Jewish Federation of Met-
With
this
in
mind,
we
attended
a
Jewish
spectrum,
that
truly
enriches
ropolitan Detroit. The Allied Jewish
our
lives
and
gives
us
a
sense
of Jew-
Jewish
Agency
for
Israel
youth
club
Campaign is conducting its Days of
where 70 Russian teens greeted us by ish well-being. El
Decision program through April 6

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3/27
1998

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