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Charity Fair at MJC: One Campus – One Life

March 20, 2005

It has been almost three years since the day when the Minsk Jewish Campus was open. Many new programs have been born for the past years here. Many initiatives and events have come to life by the common efforts of the organizations functioning in MJC.

The Campus offers plenty facilities to its visitors as well to its professional staff, but there is one thing missing… recreational area where Hesed Rachamim clients would comfortably sit and chat, JCC Emunah children would joyfully play and teens would have their hour long conversations.

There is an empty area on the Campus' backyard that could be used for these causes. Unfortunately, none of the organizations have enough funds to cover the capital costs that the playground construction will entail.

Several attempts were taken to improve the MJC backyard state in summer 2004, when “Survivor in MJC” game participants were cleaning its territory and painting the walls.

Nevertheless, money was needed to start construction works. So, JCC Emunah took the floor at one of the MJC Board meetings and suggested that a fair had to be held to raise some money for the playground.

During a month JCC Emunah art studios participants carved cutting boards and painted fantastic pictures. Hesed Rachamim participants of “Arts & Crafts” studio knitted socks, embroidered napkins and made hundreds of other cute articles. “Culinary Art” studio ladies baked Homentashen, apple pies and raisin buns. Madrichim were working on the “design” of the hall and placed the “fair counters” along the MJC hall perimeter.

On March 20, 2005, over 300 Minsk Jewish Community members rushed into the MJC hall, where the fair was taking place. Tables with beautiful handmade works and nicely looking batch were attracting the visitors' eyes. Most of the “fair customers” were children, who put the money in Tzdaka boxes and made sure that “the money goes to the playground construction that we want to have”.

All the articles were sold out and the fair visitors started taking part in the auction. And then a concert with active participation of JCC Emunah and Hesed Rachamim Jewish dance and song studios took place.

And finally, the fair results were announced. On March 20, 2005, the Minsk Jewish Community raised $400 for the playground construction. JDC, in its turn, also allocated a sum of money for this project. Thanks for this common effort of the Community and the JDC support the dream of Jews visiting the MJC to have a recreational area will come true.

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