Renewing Hope in Odesa


We are rebuilding Jewish Odesa. Through the work and commitment of the Baltimore-Odesa Partnership, we feed the hungry, comfort the sick, care for the elderly and connect young Ukrainians to their roots – all to ensure a strong Jewish future.

We help to meet the physical needs of homebound Holocaust survivors who receive no government support. We fund summer camps and JCC programs, inspiring the next generation to teach their own parents and grandparents about their heritage.

We built the institutions that have transformed Jewish Odesa in less than 20 years. And as a result, Odesa, now home to more than 40,000 Jews, continues to experience a period of renewal and revival.

“Walking hand-in-hand with my parents and my son down the streets of Odesa, the experience seemed surreal, especially for my parents. The city they remembered was so different. All remnants of the FSU (former Soviet Union) were erased, monuments were taken down, the streets were renamed and there were synagogues and JCCs in their place. In a city that was once full of antisemitism, there were now little girls wearing Star of David necklaces and men wearing yarmulkes. My dad said, ‘This doesn’t even feel like my Odesa; I would have never imagined that this could happen here.’ Everywhere we went, the imprint of Jewish Baltimore was felt and appreciated.”

To volunteer with the Baltimore-Odesa Partnership Committee at home or for missions in Odesa, contact Aviva Schwartz at avschwartz@associated.org.

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