On August 21, 1998 in the ancient city of Lviv appeared Hesed, the first in Western Ukraine.  It has been given a courageous name – “Lion”. In translation from Hebrew “hesed” means “mercy”, consequently “mercy in Lviv”.

Within 9 years of its existence “Hesed-Arieh” assists needy elderly Jews, members of their families and the Righteous Among the Nations.

Its first 450 customers currently turned into more than 5000 people form big communities of  Boryslav, Drohobych, Sambir, Stryy, Ivano-Frankivsk and other small towns and villages. 

Social assistance to the needy people is not the only goal of our Foundation.  Its activity is also intended for the cultural revival of Jewish community, preservation of the huge Western Ukrainian Jewish cultural and historical heritage. Numerous Jewish festivals, exhibitions and conferences are organized within the atmosphere of mutual understanding and tolerance. Following  our first steps in the field of communal-cultural activity, currently we can boast of six festivals of Jewish book (2000-2006), communal festival of Jewish applied art ”Flamed-mane Lion” ( 2005) and three International festivals of Jewish theatrical art “Constellation of Lion” (2002, 2004, 2006), scientific conference “Andrey Sheptitskiy.  The dialema of choice under the conditions of totalitarian regimes” and the international inter-confessional students’  camp “The Ark”, etc.

We extend our deepest thanks to those who provide the financial means to make all this work possible: the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) which programs are supported primary by contributions to the annual campaigns of the Jewish Community Federations throughout North America in partnership with UJC. Our welfare programs are carried out with the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, and major ongoing funding is provided by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews; World Jewish Relief (UK); the 1998 settlement of class action lawsuits between victims of Nazi persecution and the Swiss Banks and ICHEIC restitution funds.

Additional Jewish renewal activities have been made possible thanks to the support of the Posner family through the United Federation of Greater Pittsburg; the Schusterman Family Foundation; Last, but certainly not least, on behalf of the children, we thank Edward and Carol Kaplan for having the vision and generosity to provide the initial funding for the Children’s Initiative in Ukraine, as a result of which so many Jewish children-at-risk are, for the first time, beginning to experience some semblance of normalcy in their lives.

We will be very grateful for your donations which will be used for the development of the programs of Our Jewish Home.
Your donations are always welcomed at our bank account:

Lvov Regional Jewish Charitable Foundation “Hesed-Arieh”
Acc.  2600201013839  in  the 2nd Lvov Branch JSC “Kredobank” MFO 385372,
ACC. 55059307  JSC “KREDOBANK”; LVOV, UKRAINE; SWIFT: WUCBUA2X
Intermediary bank:
Bank of New York (New York, USA); SWIFT code: IRVTUS3N
IBAN  number: 25552210

Amos Avgar was delegated by “Joint” to former Soviet Union in 1992 when former socialist countries experienced a real threat of hunger. The first decision was immediate distribution of food packages. The first 20 thousands of food packages were distributed by 14 representatives from Israel.

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), the largest international Jewish humanitarian assistance organization in the world. Established in 1914 by an ad hoc coalition of North American Jewish groups to channel funds to starving Jews in Palestine and Europe during World War I, JDC has played a critical, often life-saving role in most important events in 20th century and 21st century Jewish history. Today, JDC is a constant in the lives of the world’s poorest Jews, providing life-sustaining aid while helping new and older generations connect with their Jewish heritage. And with decades of relief and development experience behind the organization, JDC effectively provides non-sectarian assistance to non-Jews worldwide who are victims of natural and man-made disasters.

JDC is proud to celebrate 95 years as a trusted partner that propels vulnerable Jewish and non-Jewish communities from dependent to self-sustaining.

How unnoticed time goes on! Twelve years have passed already... Twelve years ago in a solemn atmosphere a ribbon was cut, signifying the "Hesed-Arieh'' opening in Lvov .

For 12 years the amount of our clients, assisted by Hesed highly incraesed. From the first days of the Hesed's existence a number of programs like "Food", "Home care", "Volunteers", "Rehabilitation equipment loan", "Club", "Hesed on wheels" started to function.

The time has slipped  by.  Hesed has been developing. Along with increase of the number of its clients, the spectrum of its services has developed.

New programs appeared. The "Rehabilitation equipment loan" program  assisted 170 clients in 1998, and 830 units of rehabilitation equipment were delivered in 2002. "Home care" program was created in order to help iimmobile and bed-ridden people. 170 persons were served by this program in 1998, today this program assists more than 600 people.

Six new dining-rooms were opened, and total number of them reached seven: two in Lviv and five in the region.

For people who can not visit the dining-rooms because of their health condition, a program "Lunches on wheels" was established.  And for those, who can’t lgo ut  and who needs  special diet, the program "Food to homes"  started  to work in January, 2003.

"Moked" program have extended its activity, and now it is engaged in washing the linen, and repairing the shoes, renders other necessary assistance like haircutting, bathing, disinfection in apartments. With еthe frameworks of "Moked" program, the design bureau "KB-volunteer" is successfully working, where design and make the devices for the clients with the limited physical abilities.

A lot of volunteers work in Hesed, without their help our activity would be impossible. There are 350 of them. Unfortunately, the number of volunteers recently decreased. "Old troops" lare leaving, and young people do not hurry up to take their places.

Nine years ago we established new program – “Curators”. Due to the curator’s work we can more clearly who needs urgent assistance.

The Program "Talking book" takes care of blind people and people with poor sight. Such clients  are able to listen to the books recorded to the tape. The number of the clients of this program has  grown up from 53 up to 90 persons.

"Mazl Tow" program takes care of pregnant women and families with small children. It  started to work in October, 2000.

In June, 2001 the program "Daily Center" ("kindergarten for elderly people") started its dunctioning. Today it counts 90 clients.

In February, 2000 "Hesed Arieh’s"  branch "Goor-Arieh" was opened in Drogobych.

Medical program which started from the pharmacy in Lviv, where our clinets could get medicines with a 50% discount, today grew into the powerful network of various medical services.

Medical consultations, stomatological assistance, operations, hospitalization- that is incomplete list of its activity.

Club is Hesed’s show-case window. Here every Friday we celebrate Shabbat, here you can ejoy concerts and lectures, meetings with interesting people, literary and musical evenings, etc.

When it had become clear that Hesed’s activity is intended not only for the social assistance of elderly people, but also to the revival of Jewish culture and tradition and attraction of young generation to Jewish community, communal programs were established. Young people, children and people of middle age started to visit Hesed enjoying communication with each other, studying Jewish history, culture and heritage.  Soon Jewish youth theater "Debut", choreographic ensemble "Jewish miniatures", klesmer band, art-studio, "Family club", children’s program “Beiteinu”  were organized abd are successfully functioning now.  Museum-room "Tracing Galician Jews" is our special pride.

We can boast of annual Book Festivals, which taking place within last 12 years!

And the First international Theatrical Festival, which was organized and held by Hesed in Lviv in November, 2002!

Yes, a lot of work is done for the last 12 years! And, certainly, without JOINT’S support it wouldn’t be possible to sum up our work today! During all these years JOINT always was a friend, helper, adviser, and what is the most important – a sponsor. We all say thank you "JOINT"!

Of course, not everything in our work is so smooth . Not everything and not always turn out to be the way we want, but we are opened for criticism and ready to listen to any remarks. We want to hear you, our dear friends! In fact all our work is directed to you, we want you to live better and merrier!

Ada DYANOVA

Dear friends!  The additional set of babies in  the group of development "Ken Eladim" starts. We are engaged in preparation to school. Children, having documents, confirmative Jewishness, are invited.

Contact telephones - 238-98-69,  238-11-78,  additional - 33.

We are Lvivers. We are in love with our city. We are very strange because grey and tangled Lviv is dearer for us than any other spacious city. We  are Lvivers. It means that we are experts in good coffee. It means that we love jazz. We love hot chocolate in old “Chocolate bar”. We love good painting and photographing. We are Lvivers, it means - we are theatre-lovers. Moreover, we can speak Ukrainian, Polish and Russian. No matter whenever we were born in Lviv- yesterday or 70 years ago, we are united by our city. Our Lviv, Lvov, Lwow, Lemberg, Leopoles. 

During 10 years of its activity our “Hesed- Arieh” has taught a lot. We can:

·   to look after deserted graves

·   to look for lost relatives

·   to look for the roots of deceased families

·   to assist in hotel booking, food, in arrangement of tours and everything connected with Jewish places

tourism of Galicia.

In our turn, we are in great need of sponsors for:

·   maintenance of our Jewish Center, our Jewish home

·   assistance to not sufficiently provided Jewish children and families

·   assistance to talented Jewish children

·   assistance to young invalids.

Respond, please! We are waiting for you!

Ada DYANOVA

“Here the nurses have come
and brought us real holiday,
because they brought their warmth,
big hearts and never-ending charity ”
R.Y. Finkler,  92 years old , Hesed’s customer

“My dear employees of “Hesed-Arieh”. Do not be surprised with the word “dear”. You are dear for me and my family because we do not have anyone except you… I suffer from hypertensia and osteochondrosis and am invalid of the 2nd group, I am already 92 years old… From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank the staff of “Medical program” for its care, kindness and warmth “.
A. Pevzner, Hesed’s customer

“Thank you for the concert. I express the opinion all people who attended it. . Hurrah!  Very good, I like it. May they come again!”
M.N. Drutman and Hesed’s customers from Chervonohrad.

“Your assistance , kindness sympathy are so rare nowadays. I receive it for the second year and can not believe- is that possible at all…”
І.V. Stan’ko, Hesed’s customer, town of Horodok

… there are no words to express  my gratitude for what you have done for a stranger from a  remote settlement . I look at the picture of the grave you tidied up and it touches my heart and I find peace of mind. For many years with my husband we are not able to visit the grave in Lviv and make order there … May God bless you!”
М.О. Sal’man , town of Kamyanets-Podil’skyy , Chmelnitsk region

“...thank you for your assistance in treatment of our daughter Sofia.  Thanks to you s we could undertake the rehabilitation course in International clinic in Truskavets several times. After each treatment Sofia feels better and better. At first she could only crawl, then started to walk on her knees and now  she stands up… our  biggest wish is to make first steps independently … Due to your open  and big heart we have not been left alone with our own problems . You grant us a hope for the happy future...”
Grateful parents and Sofia,  customer of “Beiteinu program, “Hesed-Arieh”.