Dear Friends,

“I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the Land of Israel.” (Ezek. 11:17)

As Christians, what a glorious opportunity we have been given by our Lord, to serve and partner with Him “for such a time as this” by helping our Jewish brothers and sisters return to Israel, the land of their forefathers.

Our ongoing humanitarian aid work assists and provides the Jewish people with practical needs, but most importantly, it is often the key that opens the door for His people to make Aliyah.  This provides an opportunity in Jewish communities for our team of workers and volunteers to share with Jewish families the Scriptures that reveal God’s eternal plan, His promises, for His chosen people.

Right now we are asking you to please pray and consider giving sacrificially over and above your usual giving and help us raise $15,000 for a critical humanitarian aid project:  the purchase of winter shoes for needy Jewish children living in the area of Novosibirsk, Eastern Siberia. Winter in Siberia is in full force from November until well into April, and we all know how dangerously cold it gets: -40⁰F!

Please take this opportunity to be a part of the miracle and blessing as we send our tw0 teams from the USA this fall to help with the distribution of shoes and to share the love of God with His people.  This work would not be possible without you, our faithful supporters, who have consistently supported the work of this ministry in prayer and through your faithful commitment to give financially.  The Lord loves and blesses His faithful servants.

Any donations received over and above our goal of $15,000 will be deposited into our former Soviet Union fund.

For His glory,

Debra Minotti

National Director

The soup kitchen we are supporting in Uman, Ukraine
In October 2009, we started a new aid project in Ukraine supporting Jewish communities in small towns. This includes food parcels for the most needy members of Jewish communities in small towns of Ukraine, which have being suffering badly from the worldwide economic crisis. Food parcels are delivered to families with children and to elderly people. In addition, we support a soup kitchen for the Jewish community in the city of Uman in Ukraine.

In January we blessed 60 Jewish families with food parcels in the town of Shostka (Sumy region).

Jewish lady receiving a food parcel
Medicines for Holocaust survivors in Moscow and central region of Russia. Every month our workers visit Holocaust survivors with medicines specially purchased for them. Thus, in January we purchased medicines for 29 people for the total value of 1,400 USD.

Pyatigorsk (Russia) Anya, our base leader, continues to buy winter shoes for the most needy Jewish families in the area. Thus, in January, they supported children from 5 families.

Humanitarian Aid Coordinator

Slava Boyko, EEF worker, (left) & Karl Epshtein (see letter below)
The following letter of thanks was received from Karl Epshtein who is chairman of the Jewish community in Uman.

From the Jewish community of Uman

To: Ebenezer Emergency Fund in Ukraine

We are so grateful for the support you provide for our people, those who have survived from fascist occupation of Ukraine. Due to your support we have charity soup-kitchen operating which allow us to feed elderly people who unable to cook hot meal for themselves.

Due to your help our community lives with full, deep life. We would like to express our gratitude to you for the fact you don’t forget us and we ask the Lord to send His blessings upon you. Thank you so much once again.

With great respect
Karl Epshtein
Chairman of Jewish community in Uman

(From: Haaretz) By Cnaan Liphshiz, published April 4, 2010. Note: This has been edited for brevity

Immigration to Israel from North America during the first quarter increased by more than 20 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Jewish Agency, pointing to a busy year.

Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit organization that handles immigration from North America and Britain along with the Jewish Agency, says 447 people have come from North America since January 1. Of them, 89 arrived in January, 186 in February and 172 in March. During the first quarter of 2009 – a relatively good year for immigration from across the Atlantic – 370 North Americans came here.

“The first quarter of every year is usually slow, with most olim arriving in summer,” said Danny Oberman, Nefesh B’Nefesh’s executive vice president. “The fact that we’re seeing more olim arriving this early could be a good indication that 2010 will be good for aliyah.”

The Jewish Agency compiled a report on immigration to Israel from all over the world, but it covers only January and February. It shows that aliyah in those months was 59 percent higher than in January and February of 2009. During January and February of 2010, 2,518 olim arrived compared with 1,581 in the same period a year earlier, according to the Jewish Agency. Of them, 596 arrived from Ethiopia.

“The statistics are good,” said Jewish Agency spokesman Michael Jankelowitz. Last year, some 3,800 Jews moved to Israel from North America – the most since 1983. North American immigration has steadily increased since 2001, when the number bottomed out at 1,650, according to the Jewish Agency.

Ebenezer Emergency Fund USA has full accreditation with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). ECFA accreditation is based on the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship ™, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fund-raising. “We are pleased to include in our membership a ministry committed to [among other aliyah related issues] assisting those whose families have been persecuted for being Jewish,” said Dan Busby, president of ECFA.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA Standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ECFA.org or call 1-800-323-9473.