Hello! My name is Lola Zotova, and I am a volunteer at the center. By education, I am an art historian, and I am very pleased that my knowledge has proven valuable to the members of our community.

One could say that volunteering was "introduced" to me by my daughter, whom I took to the "Mazl Tov+" program. A decisive moment for me was meeting the leader of this program. I was impressed that a person with such deep encyclopedic knowledge and great professionalism willingly dedicates themselves to our children.

I also wanted to share what I know and can do. I proposed participating in volunteer-based projects, and I am very glad I took this step! Today, I help immerse both young and adult members of our community into the world of art. What could be more pleasant than seeing gratitude in the eyes of our participants and feeling useful to others?

As a volunteer, I participate in cultural programs within the "Jewish Renaissance" project, where I teach drawing to all who are interested and provide important knowledge in the theory of art. Thanks to my rich teaching experience in higher education institutions, I can captivate my audience and am delighted to open new horizons for them.

Volunteering has become an opportunity for me to help others unfold, develop their talents, and unleash their creative abilities. I am grateful to have joined the volunteer center and hope for long-term collaboration!

Victoria Tonkonog is a new and particularly valuable volunteer in the city of Bishkek with her own unique story. At the age of three, she developed a severe disability due to a musculoskeletal system disorder and practically does not leave her home, receiving all the necessary assistance from Hesed.

During the pandemic, Victoria actively communicated with Hesed volunteers, participating in the "Food security," "Let's Connect," and "Holiday in Every Home" programs. Volunteers taught her how to use the internet, take virtual courses on drawing, and save her poetic works (Victoria writes poetry) in electronic format.

In one of the conversations with Hesed staff, Victoria expressed a desire to become a volunteer, fearing that her physical condition might be a hindrance. However, we found a special volunteer role for her—Victoria has been congratulating elderly wards on their birthdays for several months now. She does it creatively, incorporating her artistic approach, and both sides derive pleasure from this experience.

Victoria notes that volunteering gives her a sense of purpose, instills a feeling of involvement in a common cause, the joy of interacting with many people she didn't know before. Hesed's wards always express joy at the attention they receive on their birthdays from Victoria.

I am a teacher. Today, I am engaged in the production of the purified bottled water. I have got to the Jewish communal center when I began to bring my daughter to the summer camp, a few years ago. I became the volunteer absolutely consciously. I consider that each person wants the heat and kindness, and the volunteers give to the person the chance to feel necessary and to give the heat and attention. And the volunteer, helping people, also feels necessary for the people. I worked as the volunteer in «Mini-Club», being engaged with the children as the teacher, also, I participate in various projects of the community. As the volunteer I take part in the “Kosher-Smack” project devoted to the preservation and promoting of the Jewish cuisine among the younger generation. Volunteering, from my point of view, is a disinterested and voluntary aid where especially people need it. And the volunteer, in his turn has an opportunity to self-actualize through the activity, to embody some his aspirations and requirements through the service to people. I am in the center on the photo.

I began to volunteer on July 10, 2017. Since then, I can not stop to do it. The project was called «For Art» then. Then, it was «Keshet.» On July 9, I came to help a presenter and remained here. I have a lot of activities in my life, but I am a civil engineer by occupation. I have a lot of hobbies, and as volunteer I am interested in painting with the «golden age» people. I don’t skip classes – I don’t usually give up if I have started something. Perhaps, I’m getting closer to my parents on subconscious level, because they live in Israel, and I’m getting closer to older people thanks to our clients, and I’m getting more involved in their problems, I’m becoming more tolerant. The most important thing is to understand the fact that the «golden» people had their own victories in painting. I understand this, because I was not able to hold the brush in my hands when I was a child, but then I took it in my hand and I was really fascinated by the process and results.

Vadim Igorevich Isaev, 41 years old, doctor. Hobby — fishing.

Vadim Igorevich joined the community in June 2016. His first action was shoveling the snow and ice near the community. He also actively participated at the community events, congratulating the elderly members of the community. Vadim Igorevich took part in charitable volunteer actions at the infant home. At the moment, he is organizing and participating in the «Jewish Ural» project.

Vadim takes part in the volunteer movement, following his heart.

His motto: “Do good on Earth, do good for the benefit of others!”

Ermakova Irina Aleksandrovna, 45 years old. She is a therapist of the highest category. She is a lot of years in the community. Irina with her husband and three remarkable daughters constantly participate in all communal projects and events. Irina, as the highly skilled doctor, constantly advises all members of the community who ask her for the help. Annually, in summer camps, she remains irreplaceable and the most favorite person both for the adults, and for the children. Irina, as the member of dancing collective, always participates in the concerts or statements devoted to various Jewish holidays. And three her daughters, very gifted and musical little girls, are the leading soloists in the musical and vocal ensembles. According to Irina’s words — profession of the doctor, is her personal attitude towards the people and her desire to help those who are nearby, — and it is also that driving mechanism of the fact that she is a volunteer of the Jewish communal center.

I am 42 years old and I am working as an engineer.

My hobbies are knitting, embroidering, making toys, sewing, creating various handmade crafts with children. I hold classes on knitting and embroidery with the middle aged and older people with pleasure (if it is necessary). My volunteer career started with creative activities for children and mothers.

Elizabeth Koshkina, 45 years old. Economist. She likes to travel in Russia.

Elizabeth was actively involved in the life of the Jewish community of the city after returning from Israel in 2011. She teaches Hebrew and introduces children to the traditions of Jews abroad. Here Elizabeth got acquainted with the Kesher project, through which the scrolls of the Torah were given to the Jewish community of Nizhny Tagil.

Participation in the volunteer movement allows Elizabeth to maintain a connection with Jewry in an assimilated society.

The last project, in which Elizabeth takes part, is called the Jewish Ural.

Eremina Margarita, I am 26 years old. I study in college of art and culture on theatrical creativity, and I also participate in the youth Jewish theater. I have got to the volunteer center because I attended the youth Jewish club, and I have learned about such remarkable programs. Why am I engaged in the volunteering? Why is it actual today? To bear to people good things is the same as the most valuable gift; people became more mercantile nowadays, and now even the smile on their faces is a rarity, to see a smile on their face is a great happiness for me and pride there are the same adherents with me as I am. The time which is spent for the volunteer actions, I consider the most wonderful and the most remarkable because at this time we give the happiness to people.

Just six months ago, Julia became a mother, but this did not prevent her from being an active volunteer for the Jewish community.  Last year she took part in more than 30 volunteer activities, some of which she had organized herself.  This year, Julia graduated from the “Lehava” program «and her final project was a course of psychological support for the volunteers Hesed Abraham.  The lady is sure that the volunteering is not simply a hand of the help from the strong on the weak, but the ability to live a “full” life.

Sofia is a graduate of the Young Leadership Program Metsuda. Most of her life she has been an active member of the Jewish community of our city. Since she was 12 she participated in the summer camps of Sokhnut, its field schools, seminars and festivals. She taught her first own class at the age of 14.

“Now it’s my second wave of coming back to this new family. This time is more conscious, because I don’t only know that I can give something to the community, but that I want and I must do it. It’s not pathos at all, it’s really wonderful to have such a family. Just think about it, there is a Jewish community practically in every big city in the world. Which means, that if you are Jewish, you will never be alone and abandoned in a new city. I have a really big Jewish family, only in Krasnodar it consists of more than 30 people. When I am travelling, an ultimate point of my program is a synagogue or a Jewish community. Last time I had a very warm reception in the Ashkenazi synagogue in Baku.

Now I am actively exploring my family history and writing queries to Ukraine, because I want to have not only oral family stories, but real documents as well.

Take care of your community, work in it, nurture it to have something to transfer to the next generations».

Somehow it so happened that a person is the main treasure of the world; it was important to express one's attitude towards people through action, to be useful. What is even more important - to work with your people, with those who share these values and keep those energy, experience, knowledge and deeds circulate. Purposefully looking for a charitable organization. I don’t remember at all why I didn’t immediately come to the Gomel Jewish Volunteer Center, but it met my expectations and I stayed. Our coordinator has assembled a great team of smart, unique, and very kind people. We learned from each other. Training, children, people, hiking, trips, assaults, a lot of food for the mind and soul - it has the power to teach a lesson. I realized that helping is always two-way, always an exchange: you help someone obviously, but it is he who gives you the opportunity to prove yourself, to do something necessary and good - this is also help on his part. I realized that the resource is much wider than "you give me, I give you", that there are a great many options. I understood what it is like to be on the other side of consumerism - to create, think broadly and have the strength to change something. Then there were cases, conflicts and their solutions, interesting discoveries, gratitude, and volunteering became a way of life. At a certain moment you just understand that "I'm ready", and it's impossible to go back.