Volunteer centers of the network are already working in 7 countries
Last news and events from volunteer centers
For Valentine's Day in Moldova, the RVC team prepared the sequel to the most beautiful photo exhibition.
Not long ago, the volunteers in the city of Kishinev received wonderful gifts!
Elderly individuals traditionally planted plants and created a mini estate for themselves.
For the Tu BiShvat holiday, volunteers created cards for the elderly.
On December 17, 2023, during the off-site event at "Chernoyarskaya Zhemchuzhina," the results of the volunteer squad "BeYakhad" were summed up.
From December 7 to 15, the Jewish world celebrates the brightest of all Jewish holidays.
The Sabbath in the Jewish tradition is a time of rest and contemplation.
On January 9th and 10th, 2024, interesting workshops were held in the "Jewish Renaissance" project!
From December 22 to 24, an off-site seminar was held for 30 school leaders in Moldova!
Stories from volunteers
oksana
shynkarenko
oksana
shynkarenko
My name is Oksana. I brought my daughter to the Jewish Community Center three years ago. She eagerly attends classes and events held in our center.
The atmosphere in it contributes to bringing people of different ages together. Not only do our children find friends here, but we, the adults, also find ourselves here. My husband Andrei and I actively participate in the life of the center. Our professional activities allow us to provide equipment and household appliance repair services in the center absolutely free of charge.
In this way, we support our center and happily take part in family projects. We are ready to share our knowledge and experience with the children attending classes in our warm, cozy home.
boris
zaitsev
boris
zaitsev
My name is Boris Zaitsev, I work as a radiologist in a hospital, but I always find time for good deeds. I ended up in the volunteer center thanks to a friend, together with her we came to a Jewish event, where I learned about the possibility of volunteering. I have long wanted to do good deeds, but it is difficult to do it by myself, because you don’t know to whom to provide help, how to do it correctly and how often. And here they will always call, invite and help direct their forces in the right direction.
maria
skibitskaya
maria
skibitskaya
Maria Skibitskaya is a physician, a graduate of the Kuban State Medical University (general medicine specialization). She was born in Krasnodar, in a family of doctors. A patriot of her city. An athlete with a sports rating in synchronized swimming. Works as a physician, providing a qualified medical assistance. Long lines of patients prove this – many people want to get fast and efficient help, which Maria provides.
Maria is actively involved into the social life of her city, giving lectures and writing articles for scientific and popular magazines and participates in cardiological, surgical and therapeutic conferences. Involved into scientific work.
She is also an activist of the Krasnodar Jewish community. Maria is an author of the project The School of Health, where she gives lectures on health and a healthy way of life. She generously shares her knowledge with other people and carries out preventive work. She is full of enthusiasm and creative plans. Her first volunteering action took place in the framework of Metsuda, where she helped elderly people.
Being a graduate of the Metsuda, Maria has created her own volunteering project The School of Health, where she gives various workshops dedicated to a healthy way of life.
Maria considers, that every person must help those, who need help, when she has an opportunity to do that. “Volunteering for me is the joy of others, gratitude, positive emotions. These things lack so often nowadays!”
savchenko
evgeniya
savchenko
evgeniya
Savchenko Evgenia - volunteer and head of household at the State Institution Center of Culture "Vitebsk". She became an active participant in the Your District project, which helped her to understand that she could be helpful for other people. Evgenia participated in various volunteer programs and projects of the Community, and for her it has always been interesting, informative and exciting. As for her values, she believes that Kindness can't be big or small and together, as a team, we can do anything.
vyacheslav
tomlin
vyacheslav
tomlin
Hello, my name is Vyacheslav Tomlin, and I have been a regular participant in the JR project since childhood. I am now 21 years old, and over the course of my participation in the project, I have experienced many unforgettable moments. Since the age of 10, I have actively taken part in various events, workshops, seminars, and summer camps, gaining a wealth of skills and impressions.
I have been a participant in programs, and now I actively assist in conducting activities for children of primary and middle school age. I always take the initiative and gladly respond to everything happening in our center. With the kids, we play active and intellectual games, bake goodies for Hesed, and in the summer, I help in the day camp as a counselor.
The center has become not just a place but a second home for me. It is always cozy and warm here, and I willingly participate in all events and initiatives in our friendly community.
rabunsky
eduard
rabunsky
eduard
Greetings! My name is Eduard Rabunsky, I am an active volunteer of the project "Preservation of memory - the road to the future". The project is aimed at preserving history and traditions, as well as at restoring the ancient burial places of the Jewish population in the Vitebsk region. The first volunteer experience was in recording an audio production for grandparents of "University Without Borders" in the "Theatre of Three Generations" project. Volunteering provides an unforgettable experience in various fields. You can learn a lot of interesting and new things, meet new interesting people. Volunteering is a voluntary activity for everyone. Many people wonder: "Why should I do some work just like that?". The fact is that all this is done for oneself. You, without noticing it, will pump your skills in various fields. The very feeling that you somehow managed to contribute to a good cause makes you happy.
alexandra
vasilieva
alexandra
vasilieva
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.
yuliana
berkovich
yuliana
berkovich
My name is Yuliana Berkovich. In 2010, I came to the Jewish community center with my eldest son. I began to attend creative circles and actively help in the design of stands and exhibitions. Soon I became a volunteer and started to lead the "Creative Workshop" project in Hesed. Since the summer of 2022, I have been organizing and hosting master classes for children and teenagers at the Jewish Community Center. My youngest son also attends the center's programs. At these workshops, we sew dolls together from various materials, make crafts from leather, felt and yarn. This lesson brings me real pleasure, and the joyful faces of the children convince me that my knowledge and experience are very valuable and useful.
graber
valentina
graber
valentina
Valentina is a retiree, but that doesn't stop her from actively taking part in the volunteer movement.
Her desire to connect with people, help them, and provide support led Valentina to volunteering. Since childhood, she has been very sociable, always surrounded by people. Loneliness is a significant issue for Valentina. Back in 1991, when almost no one had heard of volunteering, Valentina contributed a lot to the synagogue.
She learned about the volunteer movement at Hesed while attending the Day Center group. Valentina participated in the "Equals for Equals" program, having two wards whom she regularly visited. When the project "Origins of Mercy" started in Beltsy, she gladly agreed to be a part of it.
Currently, Valentina has four wards with whom she regularly communicates over the phone, assists at Hesed, and willingly responds to any request. She is constantly evolving, attending volunteer seminars and educational sessions with a psychologist, gaining even more experience and the right approach to elderly people.
shcherbatov
linda
shcherbatov
linda
Hi all! My name is Linda Shcherbatova, I am 35 years old. I am a studied catering technologist-designer. At the age of 15, I joined the Jewish Cultural Center "KEDEM" and began to expand my educational horizons. Volunteering has always held a special place in my heart, thanks to my parents and grandparents who raised me the right way. At the moment I am participating in the project "The Origins of Mercy", which brings me joy, especially considering that my grandmother Greta is far away from me, because due to circumstances she had to move to another country. Often I meet older people who resemble my loved ones Greta and Izya. Their manners, habits or appearance give the impression that my relatives are next to me. What does it mean to be a volunteer? This is a moment of sincerity when you lend a helping hand in any situation. It is a manifestation of gratitude when you accept the arms of a person who has lived for many years. In their eyes you see only positive emotions accumulated over the years of life, and upon returning home you feel the aroma of the velvet skin of their hands. Being a volunteer makes me proud! This is a charge of positive emotions in our difficult time!
tatyana
alekseeva
tatyana
alekseeva
Tatyana came to Hesed in 2010. I participate in volunteering with my son Kirill in his project called “Zikaron”. I take an active part in cleaning up the Jewish cemetery and putting in order abandoned graves. I am always happy to help teenagers and youth clubs. I help them to bring their children to volunteer actions and back as a social taxi. In addition, I assist in organization of holidays. Our family always brings food products which are given to older people.
catherine
rubencik
catherine
rubencik
24 years old
Reception document service assistant.
Hobbies: I write poems, prose and I enjoy being photographed.
My volunteer career began when I was at school in 11th grade. My friend and I signed up for an action against extremism and drug trafficking. We walked around the district and made photos of “advertisements” of drugs, smoking mixtures, and various inscriptions such as swastikas, which offend different nationalities. We sent all the information to a police officer.
Later, I was a volunteer in the search and rescue team «Liza Alert» and searched for missing people. I placed announcements about the search, notified the public about the results, and I was also the organizer of the «Memorial Day of the Perished Children» supported by «Lisa Alert».
I wanted to be a volunteer from a Jewish organization, and I learned about the existence of Hesed Ester and the fact that everyone could participate in cleaning the Jewish cemetery. This is very important for me as a Jew, as a member of the community, and it gives me great pleasure to do this activity. There is such a nice and useful action as cleaning the cemetery — thank you so much for it!