With the downfall of communism and its oppressive hold on Russian life and spiritualism, a vital enthusiasm for reclaiming Jewish identity, especially among the young, has swept through the Jewish population in the former Soviet Union. At the same time, the opening of the former Soviet Union has led to the identification of hundreds of thousands of elderly Jews living in intolerable conditions of hunger, despair, deprivation and isolation.

Federation's deeply felt commitment to world Jewry is demonstrated through our bond with the St. Petersburg Jewish community. In partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, this comprehensive Federation initiative includes a full range of social and welfare services to build and strengthen Jewish communal life in St. Petersburg, meeting the needs of the young and old alike.

Hesed Avraham was the first facility of its kind to arise in Russia following the fall of communism. Hesed, for kindness, and Avraham, symbolizing a new beginning, ushered in an evolving era of identifying and meeting Jewish needs in the former Soviet Union. In a community of 100,000 Jews, 30 percent of St. Petersburg's elderly live on small pensions, often forced to choose between food and medicine on any given day. Hesed Avraham, a multiservice center, helps to sustain them with meals on wheels, home health care, food packages and medical equipment. The program also provides bayit chaim (warm houses), which bring the elderly together to share meals and companionship in a caring, uplifting Jewish environment. Federation helps Hesed Avraham to meet its ambitious goal of reaching every elderly Jew who needs our support.

The renaissance and renewal of the St. Petersburg Jewish community is an equally important Federation priority. Our projects include multigenerational family retreats designed to reestablish ties to Jewish traditions; neighborhood centers where holidays can be celebrated as a community, in keeping with a central Jewish value; kindergarten classrooms; Hillel student activities; and a Heritage Center for Jewish-themed exhibits, documentation of Jewish history in the former Soviet Union, lectures and other cultural activities. To further strengthen the St. Petersburg Jewish community and provide additional opportunities for building Jewish knowledge and identity, Federation supports youth clubs and summer and winter camps providing life-transforming experiences.

To build personal connections between Israeli and Russian Jews, the St. Petersburg initiative sends students to Israel through the Heritage Program, an Israel experience opportunity for young adults. This is just one facet of Federation's strategy to bring together residents of the greater Palm Beaches, St. Petersburg and the Tzahar Region, our partnered community in Israel, for a wide variety of leadership development, social action and professional exchanges. In addition, young professionals from the three communities gathered in St. Petersburg for the Pesach Project, which brings the story of Exodus to hundreds of Russians. Our goal is to further promote person-to-person relationships, build Jewish peoplehood and create lasting spiritual and personal ties among members of our Jewish family, wherever they live.

In 2005, the Jewish community of St. Petersburg celebrated the opening of YESOD, the largest building dedicated to Jewish life in Eastern Europe. YESOD, which is Hebrew for foundation, is home many of the programs that benefit the St. Petersburg Jewish community. Federation, foundations, individuals and other Jewish organizations funded the building. YESOD's website.