I have worked as a choreographer for many years, and now I am supervising «Le hava» dance studio. Three years ago I brought my grandson to the program “Logic” of the project “Children’s Initiative”, where I got known with activities of the organization, and saw with what enthusiasm do wards practice folk and ballroom dancing. That is the way I began to help them in this field. During these three years the studio «Le hava» has become a real hallmark of Hesed! In my working life, I have released a lot of students, but few of them are engaged in folk dances with such passion. That is what motivates me to continue volunteering.

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”.

Elena Sheginskaya
35 years old
I am a lawyer. I ahve always been an active member of the Jewish community of the city. In 2012-2013 I have completed a course of the Jewish education at the European institute in Stockholm (Sweden). At the moment, I am the head of the program “Family Club” in Lviv Heseda. From the moment of opening of LVC I took an active part in its life, and the organization of various actions. Now I head the LVC direction to the work with Temporarily Displaced Persons from the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and also I head the direction to the volunteer work of the Jewish community in Lviv.
As for me, the volunteering is not only the help to the other people, but also sometimes it is an opportunity to try yourself in the different sphere and to seize new skills.

Natalia Brodskaya: Housewife, 38 years old.

“For me, volunteering is an opportunity to make my live and other people’s lives better and to be closer to my family. My husband and eldest son are active volunteers. Volunteering gives many opportunities for self-development. I take an active part in all Jewish Community projects. I have initiated the project called Feed Birds in Winter. I am very excited about volunteer activities. I am so happy to be part of this that I want to do more and more.”