KAVOD
Ensuring Dignity for Holocaust Survivors
For immediate release
Memphis, TN – (November 20, 2015) – A new non-profit organization called Kavod has been created to help Holocaust survivors live the remainder of their lives comfortably and with dignity. It has been formed in collaboration with Jewish Family Service at the Memphis Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis.
The mission of Kavod, which means ‘dignity’ in Hebrew, is to provide support for the emergency needs of Holocaust Survivors in the Memphis area said John Pregulman, founder of Kavod .
“In Memphis there are about 45 Survivors, some of whom have emergency needs that aren’t being met. For our Jewish community, this is unacceptable,’’ Pregulman said. “Kavod is designed to make sure that these men and women live with dignity.”
According to Pregulman, Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Foundation of Memphis will help connect survivors in need with Kavod, which in turn will provide gift cards to assist them with whatever emergency needs they may have. The cards will be distributed confidentially.
Pregulman is a native of Chattanooga whose interest in photography turned into a personal mission to help Holocaust survivors. Over the past two years, Pregulman has photographed 235 survivors across the U.S. in an effort to “honor and preserve the legacy of the survivors with no commercial aspect to it.” During this time, Pregulman learned that as much as 20 percent of all Holocaust survivors in the United States are living in poverty. For Pregulman, Kavod is a chance to change the lens through which people see survivors while creating a model through which assistance can be provided.
The decisions of Kavod will be overseen by a diverse and experienced board of community leaders. The board includes: Allen Israel, Susan Adler Thorp, Rachel Shankman, Dorothy Goldwin, and Leonid and Friderica Saharovici.
For more information, please contact: John Pregulman at jsp.robmerpartners@gmail.com or 393.961.8761