New Survey Shows Thousands of Elderly Forgo Heat and Food in the Winter

Four Israelis, including a week-old infant, were hospitalized this week with low core body temperatures and one has died.

The Fellowship recently took a survey to see how many of the elderly in Israel need assistance with heating their homes in the winter. Sadly, thousands of elderly go without heating or food in the winter because they simply cannot afford these basic necessities. As reported by The Jerusalem Post:

“For the elderly, giving up food, medications or heating can sometimes be a death sentence,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President and Founder of The Fellowship.

According to the poll, 18% of the elderly population go without home heating, while 16% forgo basic necessities, particularly food, to pay for heat. A third of all elderly citizens must forgo either heating, hot water, food, medicine or other needs for financial reasons the study found.

Approximately 40% of those who forgo heating in the winter, amounting to some 59,000 people, have to do so frequently or very frequently, according to the poll.

According to IFCJ, the results “underscore that this winter’s cold, coupled with rising living costs, put major sections of the country’s population at risk,” and that the “supplemental incomes and pensions” granted to vulnerable citizens and the elderly “do not go far enough” in meeting their basic needs.

The Fellowship is dedicated to providing elderly Israelis and Jews in the former Soviet Union with a warm home and food to eat. Through our Winter Warmth Campaign we provide winter heating vouchers, food, and blankets to those in need. Please help provide the gift of warmth now.

IFCJ News