When failure knows no boundaries

Why is it so important for Torah Jews to support are brethren in the former Soviet Union?

Baltimore Jewish Times:

Despite their ideological differences, the Reform and Chabad movements in the former Soviet Union share a shortage of buildings and spiritual leaders to serve their growing communities... Jewish activists in the former Soviet Union say Chabad and Reform are the two main ideological choices in the region there are no Conservative rabbis in the former Soviet Union, and just one part-time modern Orthodox rabbi, in Kharkov, Ukraine.
The World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international body of Reform Judaism, budgeted $1.6 million for its activities in the former Soviet Union last year. There are six Reform rabbis serving 67 Reform congregations across the region, according to movement officials. The Reform movement owns seven synagogue buildings, none of them in major cities....
For what Oseran calls the "periphery," the World Union is depending on graduates of its two-year Machon program in Moscow, which trains young para-rabbinic lay leaders for Russian-speaking congregations in smaller cities. It is also depends on a new "rabbinic infusion" program out of the movement's seminary in Jerusalem, which sends nine Russian-speaking rabbis and rabbinic students to Reform congregations in the former Soviet Union every six weeks and for the major holidays...


http://www.jewishtimes.com/News/4974.stm

Europe has not been plagued by the Reform movement to the extent as has the U.S., thank G-d. We all shouted let our people go - the American Jewish experiencee has shown that if it's to a Reform Temple - they're gone!