Blog

It had always been a powerful dream. For decades, Svetlana had felt the pull of living in Karmiel, Israel. Now the timing seemed perfect—her son had moved there with his family. But Svetlana’s husband got cold feet. Wasn’t he too old to start life all over again in a new place, let alone learn a new language and adjust to cultural changes?

Thankfully, her husband’s fears abated, and the couple immigrated to Israel. They moved in with their son’s family but quickly discovered that such a move wasn’t easy. New immigrants receive very basic help from the Israeli government—short-term housing for the first year and a small stipend for expenses, which didn’t go very far with the high cost of living. The combined family was soon struggling to survive. Their son was having troubles of his own finding work, while Svetlana and her husband were retired and couldn’t contribute much to the household income.

Fortunately, at the Hebrew language school for new immigrants, Svetlana heard about our immigrant center where they could get help with food and other needs. When she got there, she was delighted to receive food coupons, blankets, clothes, and diapers for the baby. Her eyes filled with tears of relief and gratitude. The family’s finances stabilized, and Svetlana now volunteers at the distribution center. It is her way of giving back to others in the same way that she was helped.

During this time of worldwide concern about the COVID-19 virus, the need remains urgent as CBN Israel continues providing food, medicine, shelter, and other necessities to those who desperately need our help.