The Gift of Living
It’s only been since the onset of her mother’s dementia that Zhanna has started to understand all she lived through as a child survivor of the Holocaust.
“For so many years, my mother refused to talk about this horrible time in her life,” Zhanna wrote in a recent letter to JSSA of her mother, Rosa. “She’s started telling me the chilling stories of her survival.”
Earlier this year, Rosa celebrated her 90th birthday, marking a milestone that her daughter never imagined she’d reach. Rosa was able to celebrate with her friends and family at home, having recently overcome several health challenges.
Zhanna credits JSSA with her mother’s good health today.
“Your actions have reminded me of the importance of kindness and compassion in our world,” Zhanna wrote to JSSA. “Your willingness to go above and beyond helping me in my effort to prolong my mother’s life means more to me than words can express.”
Zhanna attributes Rosa’s dementia and recent health problems to a childhood spent on the run. In a recent letter to JSSA, Zhanna wrote, “[JSSA] threw a life jacket to my mother, giving her a gift of living.”
JSSA has the honor and privilege of coordinating and providing essential care and support services for more than 330 survivors like Rosa living in the National Capital Region. Most of our clients are child survivors of Holocaust and endured violence and trauma in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union – their stories of survival a stark reminder of the resilience of the human person.
JSSA has been designated by international funding sources to provide critical safety net services to the National Capital Region’s most vulnerable survivors. Our core commitment to these men and women who have already suffered so much is to afford them the grace to remain living independently wherever they call home.
We follow a person-centered, trauma-informed care approach to provide services to survivors in our care. The average age of the survivors we support is 88.
“I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to the wonderful people of JSSA,” Zhanna wrote. “Your kindness and thoughtfulness have truly touched my family life in a meaningful way. Knowing that help is a phone call away has given me a great relief.”
