Yad Yisroel
The Early Years
Yad Yisroel was founded in 1990 by Rabbi Boruch Shochat - the Rebbe of the Karlin-Stolin chassidic dynasty.
During the 1970's and '80's the Rebbe travelled many time to the Soviet Union to inspire and help the thousands of Jews who were living behind the Iron Curtain.
The Rebbe saw during his visits the terrible consequences of Communism - the destitution and poverty which had stricken hundreds of thousands of Jews throughout the region.
The Rebbe founded Yad Yisroel to be a source of aid, hope and support for the Jews of the FSU. The goal of Yad Yisroel is to provide assistance and help to any Jew who needs it.
Ukraine
As over the course of the '90's the iron curtain began to fall Yad Yisroel grew and blossomed.
Yad Yisroel's first major project was the establishment of a Jewish school and Orphanage in Kyiv - the capital of the Ukraine.
Yad Yisroel sent a worthy messanger to start the school in Kyiv - Rabbi Y D Bleich. Rabbi Bleich began the school with 17 children. Since then thousands of children have passed through the school. Rabbi Bleich went on to become the first Chief Rabbi of Ukraine.
Yad Yisroel also established schools, orphanages and care homes in five other cities around the country.
Yad Yisroel Today
Yad Yisroel has grown and expanded.
Today the center of operations is in Pinsk, Belarus where Yad Yisroel runs the only Government registered and qualified Jewish school and Orphanage in Belarus.
Yad Yisroel is providing an essential service for the Jews of Belarus. Since the establishment of the Beis Aharon school and orphanage in Pinsk, hundreds of children have passed through our doors. A vast majority come from seriously disadvantaged homes and backgrounds.
Yad Yisroel is the only hope for these childrens future.