Support to live with independence, health, & dignity

Alongside the challenges of aging and loss of independence, Holocaust survivors carry lifelong trauma rooted in hunger, displacement, and deprivation. JFS provides counseling and case management in English and Russian to help survivors move beyond coping to joy and fulfillment.

Emergency assistance is available to Holocaust survivors for expenses such as rent, utilities, and groceries; medical and dental procedures, equipment, and emergency care; in-home care; and, when needed, funeral and burial expenses. This support is generously underwritten by the Chameides, Chase, Dodd, Konover/Coppa, Lazowski and Weiner/Temkin Holocaust Dignity Fund, established at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford in 2024.

“Thank you for the help caring for my mother all these years; it is more appreciated than you can imagine. It allowed me to keep my promise to her that I would never put her into a nursing home.” — a Holocaust survivor’s son

JFS professionals help Holocaust survivors apply for reparations and compensation programs sponsored by Germany and other formerly Nazi-occupied nations—for example, through the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

JFS staff members also help survivors explore the benefits available to them and how those benefits can be subsidized.

Many Holocaust survivors use the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry at JFS. Since survivors often have special sensory needs related to trauma and aging, we reserve certain shopping hours for Holocaust survivors. Many survivors also take advantage of our frozen kosher meal delivery service.

In addition to modern American foods, both the pantry and the meal service include Old World classics that survivors may remember from childhood — such as borscht, gefilte fish, Chicken Kiev, kasha varnishkes, and more.

After years of displacement and uncertainty, the ability to live independently at home is an almost immeasurable gift we can give elderly Holocaust survivors. JFS of Greater Hartford works closely with Care at Home by JFS as well as our Older Adult program and our Geriatric Care Management program to ensure that Holocaust survivors statewide have the support and services they need to thrive.

JFS helps Russian-speaking adults over age 60, refugees, and Holocaust survivors from the Former Soviet Union with translation, navigating social services and medical bills, and accessing benefits and nutritious food. To learn more, visit our Russian language page below; email Seva Azimov; or call her at 860-937-5394.

Social services for Jewish victims of the Nazis are supported by grant funding from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Support is also provided by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, KAVOD SHEF, Jewish Federations of North America, and individual donors.