Twelve years ago, as thousands of new Russian Jewish
immigrants were pouring into Israel, there was
considerable excitement and enthusiasm in helping them
discover their long lost connection to Yiddishkeit.
Many organizations sprang into action, initiating
new programs. Today individuals and organizations
perhaps feel that the immigrants have settled in,
they've acclimated to their new lives in Israel.
However, there is a "quiet" organization that continues
to not only maintain its services for the Russian
Jewish community, but actually increases its services
regularly.
Shuvu has established over 40 schools throughout Israel
catering to the specific needs of olim from
Russia. Combining outstanding secular education (a tool
to attract the parents to their schools) with warmth
and caring, it creates an environment that is not only
violence and drug-free, but also one where the students
respect the teachers and staff, as well as each other.
This type of setting is fertile ground for introducing
the children from the former Soviet Union to Torah and
mitzvos.
Shuvu also runs the following programs: summer camps,
the Chesed Program, the Kesher Tefillin Program, the
after-school program, and adult education. Shuvu is
affecting over 12,000 children this year alone.
An extremely important project run by Shuvu is
providing individual assistance to Russian Jewish
families for Pesach. New immigrants from the former
Soviet Union find themselves at the bottom of the
socioeconomic ladder. A very high percentage are
unemployed, and those who aren't are earning minimum
wage which does not allow for any extra spending. Too
many households are single-parent families. Obtaining
the usual Passover needs is an unmanageable burden on
such a household.
The new immigrants themselves are quite overwhelmed by
adapting to a new culture. To help them, for the past
eight years Shuvu has been providing Kimcha DePischa
packages containing wine, matzos, grape juice, and
other essentials for celebrating Pesach properly.
Shuvu is also publishing a booklet with illustrated
diagrams to help explain the various traditions and
halachos of Pesach observance to help the parents
be acquainted with the Halachos that their
children are learning in school. These booklets will be
included in the Kimcha DePischa packages that
each family will receive.
Shuvu/Return also organizes Community Seders throughout
Israel and Shuvu's schools conduct registration for
these Seders, which are eagerly attended.
Shuvu/Return also organizes and runs two 3-day seminars
during the Passover holiday. The seminars are conducted
in guesthouses in Jerusalem, with all necessities taken
care of by Shuvu. Not only does this allow the
participants to celebrate Passover in a very meaningful
way, but it also gives them the opportunity to spend
three days with other Jews who immigrated to Israel
dozens of years before them -- they build relationships
and it helps them overcome the difficulties of the
first few years in their new country.
Whereas in previous years Shuvu provided Kimcha
DePischa packages to approximately 6700 families,
this year the demand has shot up to over 8100, a 20
percent increase. The interest in Shuvu's Community
Seders and Pesach seminars has also grown by 25
percent, from 2340 last year to 2975 expected this
Pesach.
Israel's overall population has been panicky and
anxious due to the current intifada and this is
especially true of the Russian Jewish immigrants. As
such, many are turning to traditional spiritual sources
to help them cope with the latest tragedies of the
Jewish people in Israel.
Recently, one Shuvu parent expressed this idea in the
following way: "We have tried to be outstanding
copycats of the gentiles. We tried Communism, we've
tried to imitate the Western culture in our own
homeland here in Israel, and we even tried to outdo the
Americans in modern culture. But none of this has
helped to bring peace and prosperity for the Jewish
People of Israel. The more we try these foreign
concepts here in our homeland, the worse the situation
gets for the Jews. Maybe there is a different set of
rules for Jews in Israel. What about trying the Torah
and its principles that are the Jew's real connection
to the Land of Israel?"
It is no wonder that Shuvu is being inundated with
additional requests for Pesach assistance and spiritual
guidance.
At a three-day seminar which Shuvu ran this past
Succos, Igor and Tanya Perelman were introduced to
their rich Jewish heritage for the first time. Their
son attends second grade at Shuvu's elementary school
in Tel Aviv, and he convinced them to join the seminar.
During the seminar Mrs. Perelman made contact with Reb
Ovadia Meyshayev, Shuvu's Outreach and Chug Bayit
Coordinator. Before the end of the seminar, Mrs.
Perelman made a commitment to try Shuvu's Chug Bayit in
Bat Yam, organized and led by Reb Ovadia.
Although Tanya lives quite a distance from Bat Yam, she
made the long trip the following week to attend the
lecture. She became a regular, attending the lecture
week after week.
After two months of attending the Chug Bayit, Tanya
finally managed to bring her husband along. Imagine Reb
Ovadia's delight as Mr. Perelman became a regular
attendee as well! Not too long ago, Tanya announced
that they decided that to keep kosher.
Shuvu's own financial situation is far from an easy
one. Due to their constant growth and additional
programs, as well as the general world economic
slowdown, donations are harder and harder to come by.
"As of right now, I don't see how we could possibly
cover the expense of the increase of our Pesach
Programs", says Rabbi Chaim Mikael Gutterman, Shuvu's
Director in Israel. "We are hoping that Acheinu Beis
Yisroel will come to our aid so that we can, in
turn, come to the aid of our Russian Jewish brothers
and sisters."
Those interested in hosting a Russian Jewish family
over Pesach, or for donations or further information,
please contact Shuvu at Rechov Yirmiyahu 78, Jerusalem
02-538-9925.
