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 19 years old. I go to Hesed for 14 years already. I study at the University. Actively I participate in many events of the community. We were always taught that «ours» need to be helped! Therefore, I became a volunteer. I organized different projects in the community, often I visit our veterans, I take part in all concert performances and festive events of the community. I like to be a volunteer, so, I realize myself in some plan. Communicating with the people who are older than me, I learn a lot of useful information. It would be more correct to say that this is very important for me. As, I consider that the volunteer movement is the voluntary movement directed to the improvement of the life. And the volunteers are the people working voluntarily, with the agreement and personal desire. The world is not without kind people. And not everything can be made always with the money.

I am 16 years old. I am a vocational school student. Besides, I go to choreography school and take part in fire shows. I have been attending the Jewish Community Center all my life. I take an active part in many Jewish Community projects, help organize concerts, performances, and festive events. I have even volunteered as a madrichim at the summer camp. I have decided to become a volunteer because I like to help people and I love children. As a volunteer, I gain experience, develop new valuable skills and knowledge. In my view, a volunteer is a person who voluntarily and free of charge helps those in need. I believe that our activity is useful and necessary.

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.

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