Basil Iovovich was born in 1935 in Egorievsk, a suburb of Moscow. As a young man, he was fun-loving and outgoing. He married a woman who taught English at a local school. He had steady work for 27 years in a machine shop. Together the couple raised two twin sons.
But life took a terrible turn for Basil. Within a span of a few short years, Basil and his wife lost both of their grown sons—one committed suicide and the other was tragically murdered. Just weeks after his second son’s funeral, Basil’s wife passed away. Immersed in grief, he found himself alone and in need. His health began failing, he had great difficulty remembering things, and then a stroke left him partially paralyzed.
No one should have to suffer such tragedy and hardships, and certainly not alone and fearful. Through the generosity of IFCJ-The Fellowship’s donors, Basil was moved into a boarding house, where he is now visited regularly by Chamah volunteers and staff who bring him prepared meals and medicine, tidy up his living quarters, help him to wash and bathe, and more importantly, provide him with companionship and hope.
“We are very grateful to Rabbi Eckstein and IFCJ-The Fellowship for their generous support of our humanitarian programs in Russia,” said Hillel Zaltzman of Chamah. “With your kind help and prayers, we are able to give Basil and others in need a chance to see that life can bring them happiness.”
.jpg)
