This year, Passover week at the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC) was filled with interesting and bright events. One of the highlights was a wonderful culinary master class for Hesed clients and RVC volunteers, held as part of the "Cooking Together" project. At the workshop, attendees learned how to prepare dishes using matzah, a staple of Jewish culinary tradition. The gathering took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, filled with smiles, laughter, and pleasant conversations.

In addition to gaining new culinary skills, participants also learned about important Jewish values such as caring for others, respect for elders, generational continuity, and the strength of community. At the end of the workshop, guests welcomed Shabbat together — which this year coincided with the beginning of Passover — giving the occasion a special spiritual significance.

Volunteers from our call center also made a significant contribution to the celebration of Passover. This year, the RVC team welcomed new members — Olga Beller, Maria Pichugina, Alina Tolkachenko, Alina Rostovatseva, Alexander Skripnik, and Svetlana Stolbikova joined our friendly family. They became real miracle workers for 200 Hesed beneficiaries, personally calling them to extend Passover greetings and wish them health and well-being.

These calls are important, as they serve as a reminder of the ongoing care and support provided by our volunteers, helping recipients feel more secure. Those who were unable to attend in-person events still had the chance to feel the warmth of the holiday remotely, thanks to the heartfelt outreach of those always ready to help.

Our volunteers didn’t forget the youngest members of our community. Ahead of Passover, they organized a themed workshop for children at the "Sevivon" Jewish kindergarten, where the little ones created a Passover plate — a Ke'arah. According to tradition, the Ke'arah holds symbolic foods that tell the story of the Exodus and the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.

As expected, the workshop was a great success! The children enthusiastically took part in the process, asked questions, shared their impressions, and proudly displayed their finished creations. Both the children and volunteers thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to more such gatherings in the future!

We thank all the volunteers who helped make this holiday special by investing their efforts and heartfelt warmth into every event held!