My name is Viorika Kelban. I joined RVC about two years ago thanks to a friend who was a volunteer at the center and enthusiastically told me about its activities. I wanted to become part of this wonderful project where compassion and caring for others are the main values.

My first volunteer projects were the Healthy Vitamin Box and "Memory Cafe" for elderly with dementia. I also participated in delivering Shabbat packages to our wards. After the Good Deeds Day, I became interested in the "Home Care" project, where I enjoy interacting with people of different generations, learning their life stories, and sharing my own.

The "Preserving the Memory of Jewish Life" project opened up the tragic pages of Jewish history in Moldova to me - pogroms and the Holocaust. I try to attend all events dedicated to these tragic events, which make me reflect on our history and the fate of the elderly who witnessed these events.

In this context, I was drawn to the "Origins of Mercy" project, which focuses on caring for the elderly. Volunteers strive to ease the lives of the elderly and fill them with bright colors. Thanks to volunteering, I have become a real "good wizard" who, together with others, is capable of changing lives and society for the better!

Hello, my name is Olga Beller, and I have been a volunteer at the Republican Volunteer Center since March 2024. My journey into volunteering lasted 1.5 years, during which, after moving to Moldova in July 2022, I tried to adapt to the new country and put my experience in organizing events for people of all ages to good use. The Volunteer Center has become a place for me where my skills and experience are gratefully accepted, and where like-minded people await, for whom helping those in need is more than just words.

In March 2024, I became part of the friendly RVC team, and my duties included working in the Call Center as well as delivering food packages. A great help in fulfilling my volunteer duties was obtaining a Moldovan driver's license, which allowed my husband Vladimir Vasilenko and me to actively participate in Good Deeds Day, delivering "Healthy Breakfast" food packages to our beneficiaries.

Congratulating people on Pesach from April 22 to 29 also brought me many positive emotions in return. I enjoy working in the Call Center: I love communicating with people, informing them about various events, congratulating them on holidays, and providing necessary information support. I am happy that I once made the right decision to become part of the large RVC team!

My name is Victoria. I am 37 years old. I have three children. I have got a degree in medicine and I am a lifelong learner. I have recently returned from Moscow where I attended extension courses in immunohistochemistry.

I like to take a nap, have a cup of coffee, take pictures, travel, do some needlework.

My first experience as a volunteer was in 1997 when we were packing food and hygiene kits. After that, I participated in all charity events and other activities carried out in our Jewish Community. I can talk about that for hours.

I have noticed that there are 2 types of volunteers: active and passive ones. I belong to the second group. I never come up with new ideas, I only do what I am told to do. But whenever my help is needed, I am always there.

Volunteer activities have become very popular nowadays, and I always take pictures in the Jewish Community Center. I have even held an exhibition of family photos within the framework of the project called Family Memories Are Jewish Community Memories.

Within the framework of the charity event dedicated to the International Children’s Day, I gave master classes to children and we sewed puppets for the show which was performed in the orphanage. My eldest daughter Margo helped me give a master class in body art at Purim Fair.

Besides, I am a member of the Strategic Planning Committee.

And I am always eager to help others

Hello everyone! My name is Tatiana Komova, I am 24 years old, and I have been a volunteer for over 3 years. My journey into volunteering began with the “Caring Connection” project, where I participated in distributing smartphones. After interacting with many elderly people, I realized how lonely many of them are, and I wanted to make their lives better.

I started conducting online events and providing technical support for the elderly. Besides technical skills, I also have creative inclinations, so I happily joined the “Handy Hands” and “Craftswomen” projects. I also take part in large-scale events like “Day of Good Deeds.” I believe such events are a great opportunity for those who want to try their hand at volunteering.

For me, volunteering is not only a way to help others but also a means to grow and develop. Here, you will find everything needed for communication and self-improvement. You can make a meaningful contribution even if you’re not a master or an expert, and your opinion and input are always valued. I invite everyone to join our large and friendly volunteer family to grow together and make our world a better place!

Hello! My name is Yulia Volshtein. Since 2012, I have been actively participating in various programs of our community and Volunteer Center. I began my creative journey in a group led by Tamara Feigina, and in 2019, I became its artistic director, "breathing new life" into the ensemble, which is now called Rikkudim Dance. Our group represents the community at creative venues in the city, taking part in various events, including the Festival of National Cultures of Belarus.

Creativity has always been my passion. New ideas constantly come to mind, and I can’t wait to bring them to life. I take great pleasure in watching them come to fruition. I firmly believe that there is so much more to life than just earning money! For me, the greatest reward is seeing the joyful faces of our audience!

Today, our ensemble is actively growing, thanks to the support of the community programs leader and our friend club "Ala Kefak," Anna Svetlichnikova. I am confident that many exciting performances await us ahead!

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.

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.

My name is Elena and I am a volunteer in the "Maagal" community.

For 26 years, I’ve been living with rheumatoid arthritis, to the point where I have a second-degree disability. I have a wonderful husband, two grown sons, and a small elderly dog - all of whom love and often demand attention. And then there’s work and the endless routine so familiar to every woman.

But no, this story isn’t about that. It’s about how, a few years ago, I received a call inviting me to join the "Sipur Volunteers" project. This was my first experience with such work, but I knew that if someone needed my help, I was ready to set aside my pain, work, and household chores, get behind the wheel, and drive to people who didn’t know me but were eagerly waiting for me. I’ll admit, I was a little scared, as I wasn’t sure how I would be received, what I could offer these people beyond a small gift, and what words I could find. But when the door opened, I was greeted with a smile and kind eyes, and our simple greeting turned into a warm conversation over tea and pastries. You begin to forget all your worries, simply dissolving in the warmth emanating from your companion. And this wasn’t just in one house I visited, but in many homes where I now know for sure - I am always welcome.

Now I can say for certain what my story is about. It’s about how, in this crazy pace of life, sometimes you just need to stop and smile at an elderly, lonely person, wish them "Yom Tov," and in return, you will receive far more attention and care than you could ever imagine. That’s the life-giving force everyone needs - just faith, hope, love.

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.

Having the MD degree in Medicine, she is a radiologist, Fruma Zalimanovna was born in 1929. Despite her not young age, she is full of energy and enthusiasm, which are so necessary in volunteering. Our heroine started her social work in 1946. Fruma Zalimanovna is the Assistant of the Chairman of the Medical Council of the University and a part-time mentor for the student volunteer movement «Milky Way». To the Volunteer Center of the synagogue she was invited in July 2013 as a consultant for the Organization of the Jewish Museum, then she became a principal consultant. Fruma Zalimanovna says that she is engaged in volunteering solely by ”The Call of the Soul”. She is totally sure that it is especially important today, because our society has lost its moral values. Fruma Zalimanovna also manages to write the books in history and in medicine.

My name is Vladimir Neznaiko, I am a student of the Anton Chekhov POTL and I am an active participant in the volunteer movement at the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC). My story began when I accidentally found out about RVC through my friends. I was looking for ways to get involved in charitable causes and help those in need when I came across information about RVC volunteering. This was a great opportunity for me to do a good deed and contribute to public life. More than six months have passed since then, and I continue to actively participate in various RVC events. I helped with logistics at various mass events, participated in the organization of Good Deeds Day 2023, collected food for the people in need, organized and hosted classes for children and much more. Why RVC? In this volunteer center, a huge number of projects are focused on helping members of the Jewish community, and here I can get closer to the culture of the Jewish people. My great-grandparents were Jewish, but like most stories from that time, their papers have been weathered, blown away by the winds of time, and eventually lost. By helping out on RVC projects, I can be closer to my historical roots. I like the volunteer movement for its diversity, emotional involvement, and depth. Here I meet many different people, work in a team with like-minded people, learn about different cultures and social problems. It makes my life more meaningful and more interesting. What I especially appreciate in the volunteer movement is that here I can contribute to solving social problems and help people in difficult life situations. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride in my contribution to the common good. I am sure that the volunteer movement is useful not only for society, but also for the volunteers themselves. It helps to develop and expand horizons, set new goals and achieve them. I believe that each person can contribute to the common cause and become better, and volunteering is one of the most effective ways to do this.

From the very beginning of his volunteer work, Stanislav Lenivkin involved his sons. He wanted to show them how easy it is to do good deeds. Their first step was delivering gifts to Hesed clients in their neighborhood. People always welcomed them warmly, and while the boys were initially shy, they soon became more confident. Often, they were invited for tea, and they couldn't refuse, as attention is the most important thing.

Later, the family participated in the "Zikaron" campaigns—cleaning Jewish cemeteries. They visited Malakhovka, Zapadnaya Dvina, Perlovka, and Tula. These events were always interesting, as they were part educational tours. The boys enjoy working with tools and understand the importance of preserving Jewish memory. This year, their younger sisters joined them in delivering matzah.