Tents of Mercy Congregation
Kiryat Yam, Israel
It has been just over a year since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022. In March of 2022, the number of Ukrainians coming to our humanitarian aid center rose dramatically. Many had received refugee visas of three months or more depending on the Israeli government’s judgment. Those who came as refugees longed to return and have been waiting in limbo for the fighting to let up, but the war has raged on.
For the first four months or so, those arriving were in shock and traumatized from the atrocities and difficulties that had witnessed and experienced. Together with the government and many other organizations, Tents of Mercy mobilized to assist them. We were grateful for the opportunities to listen to and love on the shell-shocked human beings coming out of Ukraine. As the fighting continued, and Putin called for mobilization of reserves for escalated fighting, a new group of people began coming – Russian Jews and descendants of Jews who were making Aliyah in order to escape the Russian military draft and a political regime that they didn’t agree with.
The immigrants arrived in large numbers from St. Petersburg and Moscow. They were not allowed to come directly to Israel from Russia, so they came through Poland, Turkey, Georgia and Moldova. These young, professional, secular families were escaping however they could – desperate to get away from Putin’s politics and a deadly war they did not believe in.
Among these new arrivals was Peter. He and his family were from Siberia. Just prior to the onset of the war, he visited all the political parties with policies contrary to Putin and went to multiple demonstrations. He was constantly worried that the KGB would come for him, but they never did.
Like many others, Peter and his family “took a vacation” to Turkey and then immigrated to Israel directly from the airport, doing quick aliyah upon arrival. Quick aliyah is a good option for those who have sufficient documentation about their Jewish background. Coming in as tourists, they can apply for citizenship under the Law of Return immediately upon arrival at the Israeli airport. This law grants people with one or more Jewish grandparents the right to receive Israeli citizenship. Especially under refugee type circumstances, quick aliyah is a terrific route for immigration. Straight from the airport, families are given one month of free health insurance, a paid taxi to their requested destination and a SIM card. If they don’t have a place set up to stay they are given paid lodging for a week.
And that’s where we come in. Tents of Mercy receives calls from all over our local “Krayot” and Haifa area, but we also receive queries directly from Russia and Ukraine. People hear about us from word of mouth – or as they say here in Israel – “a friend brings a friend.” They call and often come right away, and we are here to fill needs that the country and the municipality are not able to fill. In this last year we were able to bless over fifty refugee and immigrant families with a “basic household goods package” for new arrivals.*
When apartments are found, those in need can come and take what they lack – beds, dressers, tables, chairs, mattresses and more. We have functioned as a humanitarian aid center since our inception in 1995, but this last year has been a noteworthy one. Following the war on the news from afar is one thing, but hearing about it firsthand from those who have fled and being a direct source of provision for refugees from both sides is something else entirely.
Why Our Town of Kiryat Yam?
Strategically we are in an excellent spot to do what we do. According to our distribution director, many if not most of the immigrants and refugees come to Netanya or to our area, the town of Kiryat Yam. The Mediterranean Sea is a big attraction, but the socioeconomic climate of the Krayot is also a significant factor. There is already a large Russian speaking community here and rents in this area are much more affordable than the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem corridor and even Haifa.
Since last fall, about 70% of our recipients have been from Ukraine and about 30% from Russia, and daily we see more and more immigrants. After the initial help we are able to give, families are invited to return to us after six months in the country when their initial government stipend finishes. At that point they can sign up to receive a year of monthly food baskets. (We serve 200 families on a consistent basis with a waiting list of 30-40.)
There is such an influx of immigration at this time that the waiting lists in the government agencies for services like language school and immigrant housing are long and tedious. The help we offer goes a long way towards assisting these families in getting established in apartments, jobs and even experiencing Israeli holidays. One of the new immigrant families who came to our recent Purim Party said she was excited to experience it for the first time and was eager to get to know the Israeli customs and holidays.
Not Just a News Item but Real Life
Svetlana and Vlad (not their real names) arrived in May from Kharkov. She was incapacitated with a back injury when they came and had to arrive by special transport that allowed her to lie down during her entire journey to Israel. When they came to our center and were receiving initial assistance, she asked who we are. When she realized that the humanitarian aid center was also a Messianic Congregation, Svetlana became very excited and shared that they were believers. They are now enthusiastic participants in the congregation and are putting down roots in their new country.
We are all used to seeing and reading news about things that happen far away, but in the meantime, those far away events are striking very close to home for many. We hope these stories are a window for you into how global realities are touching our daily lives.
* Basic household goods package contains a set of pots and pans, set of dishware, silverware, sheets, towels, microwave, electric kettle, and market cart.
