News and Updates Clergy Corner

Nearly a decade ago, the Tikvah Children’s Home in Odessa, Ukraine became our sister day school and orphanage. As the war was beginning in Ukraine almost four years ago, they packed up their entire school, the students and teachers, and embarked on a two day journey to Moldova. Unfortunately, they could not stay there permanently. Ultimately, they were able to find a new home in Bucharest, Romania, where they rebuilt and started over. In mid-August, my son and I decided to visit Tikvah in Romania for the first time to meet the students, tour the school and orphanage, and explore more ways to deepen the connection between Beth Am and Tikvah. We visited their school campus, living quarters, synagogue, and spent time touring Bucharest and its Jewish section.

What we discovered was fascinating. We were amazed to see that in just three and a half years, the Tikvah staff has recreated their Odessa campus on the outskirts of Bucharest. We found a warm and inviting environment, and a place where children who have lost nearly everything have been given new opportunities to grow up in a warm and loving Jewish environment. Although the needs are great and the challenges are many, we discovered happy children and a staff that has dedicated their lives to giving these children everything they require.

One of the main reasons for our visit was to assist Tikvah in helping their children deal with PTSD. Not only are the majority of the students orphans, but they have been displaced from everything they knew at their wonderful home and school in Odessa because of the war. Though they are living in a healthy and safe environment at Tikvah in Bucharest, the challenges they have seen thus far in their young lives are vast. My son and I connected Tikvah with psychologists in Israel who have developed excellent techniques and programs to help young children living along the Gaza border deal with their PTSD struggles. It is our belief that those same efforts could have similar success at Tikvah. If you would like to support these efforts, please let me know.

Many years ago when representatives of Tikvah came to meet with me in my office, I was inspired by their mission and the incredible, life-saving work that they do every day. I believed it was an effort worth supporting and an organization I could help. What I did not know was how much their work would help me appreciate everything we have here in Miami and the gifts we are fortunate to share in our Beth Am community. And just as importantly, I did not realize how being involved in Tikvah would offer me such a window into what love, kindness, caring and Jewish wisdom can bring to even the most challenged community.

L’shalom,
Rabbi Jeremy Barras