Since 1996, Tikva has engaged in a constant search for Jewish children in need from the southern regions of the former Soviet Union, specifically Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. Tikva employs 30 full time staff members who are tasked with seeking out, documenting and rescuing these destitute Jewish children. They answer the ‘tip-off’ calls from concerned neighbours and teachers and sometimes even anguished parents themselves. The horrors they see are unimaginable, but these social workers and detectives are literally saving lives and giving a future to the abused, neglected, malnourished and homeless Jewish children in this deprived area. Working in the context of a sophisticated professional system, they go through a labour-intensive, often time-consuming process to document each child’s Jewish heritage and secure necessary permissions. Specific documentation is carefully examined of the child, mother and grandmother including passports and birth certificates in an effort to confirm nationality and Jewish lineage. The youngsters are then transported to Tikva Children’s Home in Odesa. Last year alone, Tikva found close to 100 endangered and impoverished Jewish children who might otherwise have been doomed to a life of prostitution, drugs and crime on the streets. It is estimated that there are approximately 2,500 more Jewish children facing similar risks, still needing critical care.
Where Our Children Come From
