CHILD SURVIVORS OF EASTERN EUROPE

As newly elected president of the European Association of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust I consider it a part of my task to visit as many as possible East European countries and speak to survivors and with survivors .Many survivors in these countries live in terrible and very, very poor circumstances. There were times that I could not believe my eyes and could not believe what they told me.
I would like to give you 2 examples. In the winter of 2008 I visited the city of Kiev in Ukraine. I have a friend there, his name is Boris. He had invited me to come and see for myself the living conditions of many survivors. If possible I should report about the shameful living situation of most survivors.
On Saturday morning my friend took me to one of the 3 synagogues in Kiev. One synagogue is under reconstruction and the other 2 are functioning. After the service I had a chance to talk during the Kiddush with some survivors. Their financial situation is poor, just very poor. They asked me to write to the Claims Conference and ask for higher CC-pensions, for most of them it is impossible to lead a normal life on the pensions they are receiving from CC and government. They cannot afford medical insurance. What they told me is that they receive from governmental “old-age” pension  ± € 175.- and if they are eligible for CC pension they receive another € 175.- However the average rent of an old one-bedroom apartment is about the same as the old age pension. Next to this are the costs of electricity and central heating. Which is another € 75.-. For food and clothing this leaves about € 100.- With this kind of income there is no or hardly any money left to buy new clothes. There is no money for health insurance, telephone or something extra on holidays. No money for things we in the west consider as normal day-to-day useful things. Most of them cannot afford to come to the synagogue and stay at home. They have to use public transport and that also costs money.
After the Kiddush my friend took me to one of the outskirts of Kiev to visit some people he knows. I had asked him for an opportunity to see for myself these living conditions.
So we went also with public transport, by metro and by bus, which took us   more than 1½ hour to reach the apartment building. The building must have been more that 50 years old, a typical building from the communist era. More than 12 floors high, the elevator( if there  was such a thing) was broken and we had to climb 6 flights of stairs to reach the apartment. After knocking on the door ( the bell was broken) it was opened by a young lady. My grandparents are in the living room she said. Through a small corridor we entered the living room. It was rather dark in there, no lamps were burning. And immediately I felt the cold. Looking around I noticed a big bed against one of the walls. I saw something moving in the bed and after another look, I discovered a elderly couple in the bed. With her arms stretched out the girl said pointing at the bed my grandparents. Both of them were in the bed, for me a reason to say to my friend: what are we doing here these old people are in bed and sick. No, no they are not sick, said my friend, they are trying to keep warm. Their central heating is broken, the building owner has no money for repairs and this way they keep warm. I noticed both the man and woman were still wearing their clothes. I asked them how long they have to live under these conditions. The answer was quite simple, they wait till the weather improves. Which means my visit was in February and they stay in bed till maybe March/April or so. Waiting for spring temperatures.
I asked what it would cost to repair their central heating unit and how long it would take. They girl answered that it would take about 3 or 4 weeks and it would be around a 100 Euros.  I gave them the money so that they could have heating again. My friend told that fortunately for them they were not sick, because if they would have been sick there was no money to buy medicines.
After the visit to this old couple my friend took me the next day to a soup kitchen. I had never seen in my life a soup kitchen. This soup kitchen was in the center of Kiev. It is run by Bnai Brith Kiev with the help of BB-organizations in West Europe. They hand out food and medicines. Medicines I was explained are smuggled into Ukraine, because it is not allowed to import medicines.
Food is bought on the local market. About 25 persons were waiting in line to get either food or medicines. I could not believe my eyes, that this is happening in a [ so-called] civilized country. It is a shame that this is necessary in a city where you can see thousands of modern cars cruising the streets, where the windows of the shops are full of the newest electrical and electronically equipment.
Thank g’d we don’t have to live under these conditions and are blessed with good health and good income so that we are able to help our brothers and sisters who have to live there. 
In Kiev there are still about 3000 Jewish people living, 75% of them must live with the monthly income and under similar circumstances as describe above. We in the west don’t need to live under these conditions and we can help our brothers and sisters.
The board of  the European Association of Jewish Survivors of the Holocaust is setting up an ”East-Europe Fund” so that we, in our modest way, are be able to help these people who are less privileged.
If you want to help them please donate  money. It’s a Mitswah to do so.
Send your donation to European Association of Jewish Survivors of the Holocaust, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Our East European brothers and sisters will be grateful. Thank you.
Max Arpels Lezer,president
European Association of Jewish Survivors of the Holocaust