May 28, 2019

Jewish Innovators in Moldova Help Vulnerable Populations

Federation overseas partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, (JDC) is helping revitalize Jewish life in Moldova through a recent program called TOM Makeathon. The initiative, part of TOM Israel, unites “makers” — inventors and developers — with people from vulnerable groups to create innovative solutions to transform the lives of those with physical and health limitations.

Two teams, one Jewish and one non-sectarian, came together for the event. The Jewish team, comprised of high school students, developed a smart t-shirt for those requiring constant health monitoring. The device measures and sends information about a person’s vitals including body temperature, body position (if the person is on his feet or fell down), and can track a person’s location. The t-shirt is connected to a mobile app and a website.

“Being the first Jewish community in the FSU to organize a TOM Makeathon, we were so excited to join its global efforts and be at the forefront of innovation for helping the most vulnerable,” said Alla Bolbochanu, JDC’s representative in Moldova. “For us, Jewish identity is in the doing, the actions we take every day to help our fellow Jews build our community and reach out to our neighbors in need.”