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 HomeMJC OrganizationsSenior Citizens Programs > News 

04.06.2010  An Example to Follow
The International Museum Day is an annual cultural event which is organized all over the world in May. This year museums of around 40 European countries opened their doors to the visitors. The museums of Minsk joined the action and prepared interesting programs for the guests. The Belarus State Museum of Literature made a musical and theatre show “Trip to Belarusian Places”; and the “Gil Zagav” dance band of the Public Welfare Jewish Organization “Hesed-Rakhamim” has kindly accepted Museum’s invitation to perform.

25.05.2010  It Was in May
Ghetto and concentration camp survivors and Righteous Gentiles went for a three-day outing within the framework of “Always in Memory. Never Again in Reality” project. 50 participants of the project got a warm welcome from “Alesya” recreation center, situated in a pine forest not far from Radoshkovichy town (Minsk region).

11.05.2010  “Special World”, “Special Theatre”, “Special Art”
Performing in the public is the biggest challenge. Though playing on the stage (no matter how big it is) is an ability to create and express yourself, and to penetrate into the world of High art, it has always been quite a worrisome event. If you are “not like others”, than performing becomes twice more stirring. Tango with Shadows Shadow theatre of the “Rainbow” project (a program for people with psychophysical problems at Hesed Rakhamim, Minsk) became a laureate of the 6th International Special Theatre Festival “Neprataptany Shlyah” (meaning “unbeaten path”).

30.04.2010  Bright Palette of Human Feelings
“The World of Poetry” program started up in the Jewish Public Welfare Organization “Hesed-Rakhamim” in 1997. Since that time the project has been attracting more and more people. The latest meeting of the club took place in the “literature and music salon”.

29.04.2010  These are grandma's stories
The Jewish Public Welfare Organization “Hesed-Rakhamim” has recently launched a new program called “Bubbeh meise” that has already become popular not only with Hesed clients, but with members throughout the community.

29.12.2009  Young and Old Alike Love Hanukkah
For young people participation in Hanukkah events is the possibility to exert themselves. For people of golden age such participation is a real feeling of personal victory and pride for being a Jew. They witnessed a lot in their lives: both the time of national oblivion and the time of Jewry revival.

09.11.2009  New Achievements of Hesed
Welfare Jewish Fund “Hesed-Rakhamim” pays great attention to partner networking. Due to this policy a joint project organized by Minsk Hesed and the “Religious Mission «Welfare Catholic Community Karitas » of Minsk and Mogilev Archiepiscopate” was launched in October. The project is aimed at providing rest and social rehabilitation for the “Rainbow” program participants.

04.11.2009  New Generation of Grannies
Marina Movzon, the soloist of the «Gil Zagav» dance-group and a volunteer of the Museum of Jewish History and Culture has been awarded with a title of «Supergranny-2009» in the «Grannies! Go Ahead!» contest. The event was organized by the «Hesed-Rakhamim» Welfare Jewish Fund and the Outreach Center of Partisan district in Minsk.

02.11.2009  Always in Memory. Never Again in Reality: “History of the Jewish places in Belarus”
On October 22, 2009 a trip “History of the Jewish places in Belarus” was launched within the framework of the project “Social and Psychological Help to Victims of the Shoah. Always in Memory. Never Again in Reality”. The project participants started their acquaintance with the centuries-old history of living Jews in Belarus from a visit to a small town of Zaslavl. Natalia Metelskaya, a guide, began the excursion straight on bus and supplemented the story with interesting photos and pictures. In Zaslavl the group stopped at the old citadels and places where Jews used to live. The excursion was concluded by visiting the museum ethnographical complex “Mlyn” (“a mill”). It used to be a mill, a smithy, an inn, formerly belonged to a local Jew.

07.08.2009  “Always in Memory. Never Again in Reality”
From year to year the number of witnesses of the Holocaust is decreasing. Every meeting with people who went through this terrible tragedy is unique and inimitable in emotions. The project “Always in Memory. Never Again in Reality” contributed to establishing contacts between senior people who survived the Holocaust, people who saved Jews during the WWII and young generation with no connection to the Jewish community.

03.08.2009  Steps Towards Social Integration
It’s been the fourth summer in a row that educatees of “Rainbow” Program for people with special psycho and neurological needs feel the excitement of the baggage packing and the coming trip. For some of them it was a fond hope, but thanks to assistance of so many unindifferent people, the “Rainbow” participants travel to Tarasovo.

10.06.2009  Precious Time
Once upon a time four bad wizards decided to get their youth back. It turned out to be a piece of cake, as they had to find several lazybones and to use their spent in vain time – this is how it works in a “Fairytale About the Lost Time” by Evgeny Shvarts. A man that spends his time uselessly gets old notelessly, and this idea is completely supported by participants of Day Care Center of Public Charitable Jewish Organization “Hesed-Rakhamim”.

15.04.2009  Creation is Life
Life is the most precious thing one has. It is horrible to face sorrow alone. A word of encouragement helps, but “Creation is Life” program in context of Non-government Charitable Jewish Organization “Hesed-Rakhamim” offers even better help, direct active help.

13.03.2009  “Find an Actor in Yourself”
“Inspiration” theatre of Minsk Jewish Charitable Fund “Hesed-Rahamim” was recently registered in World List of Peculiar Theatres “Special Art Phenomenon and Modern Art”. The “Inspiration” theater was found in the framework of “Raduga” program to rehabilitate and socialize young disabled people with psychoneurological diseases.

08.03.2009  Learning New Through Recalling the Past
They dance magnificent, look great and stir up burst of positive emotions from the first beat – this is the perfect characteristic of Gil Zahav dancing team. Japanese called its members people of silver age (from Eng), meaning people who learn new through recollecting the past. It’s an axiom that older generation’s culture leads to great results.

05.03.2009  For the First Time...
In 2008 Museum of Belarusian Jewish History and Culture welcomed more than a thousand people. In February 2009 about 300 visitors came. The Museum staff recalls these visitors with warmth and respect. Unfortunately, major part of these people are home bound due to various reasons.

04.12.2008  A Friend In Need is A Friend Indeed
In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed December, 3 to be an International Day of People with Special Needs. What this date is definite for? The people in focus could hardly be pleased to receive congratulations for the specific holiday: often they do not consider themselves as people with special needs or unwilling to do it.

02.11.2007  After the Carnival
Hesed-Rahamim’s numerous talents offered the audience of one hundred plus fans a show sparkling with artfully staged transformations of familiar characters into consumed performers.

14.08.2007  Donation of equipment to the Center of Palliative Medical Care “Hospice”
Thanks to a well–fostered relationship with the Minsk Jewish Campus, the only hospice in Belarus just became even more unique. Through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's IDP fund, the Minsk Jewish Campus's Resource Development Center was able to acquire an oxygen concentration machine for clients of the hospice.

21.06.2007  “Headgear Festival”: fashion news and more.
Everybody knows nothing can't stop women from making simple things trickier than necessary. Looking for protection from the unusual under these latitudes, summer heat, the female population of Minsk Jewish Campus chose headgear as the benchmark for another attempt to leave the beaten tracks of everyday routine for the realm of pure beauty, where men are not allowed, and their opinion ignored.

18.05.2007  Eager to answer the challenge, they win again
At the early days of the Communist era public libraries were duly considered strong points of new ideology among populations that the Civil War left with no food for thought lest any food at all.

08.02.2007  News from Lazarus
Donated by the Simon Mark Lazarus Foundation, the 10 kg “Bosch” washer was delivered to Rakov Nursing Home on February 6, by Larissa Geller, Hesed–Rakhamim PR–officer.

16.01.2007  What's in the news?
Jewish life in Minsk was given an unprecedented coverage by Byelorussian media during the second half of the year 2006. Roch–a–Shanah and Chanukah festivities, inauguration of memorials, Community Book Festival and BelGoset (Jewish theater) anniversary, Hesed–Rakhamim welfare activities and “Rainbow” rehabilitative programs for youth with limitations have become the issues general audience seem to follow with ever–growing interest and sympathy.

27.12.2006  Hanukkah Comes to an “Inspirational” Close
Folks in the Minsk Jewish campus can't stop chatting about “Inspiration,” the Hanukkah play put together by professionals and clients of Hesed, Raduga, and The Jewish Family Outreach Service. When Lena, the director of Raduga, the club for young Jews with disabilities, proposed creating a Hanukkah play to be performed by mentally disabled youth and elderly individuals with physical illnesses, people thought she was reaching for the impossible.

28.07.2006  The Homestead in Tarasovo
Initially designed as a means to assist mentally disabled youth, the “Rainbow” program started at “Hesed Rahamim” two years ago as a shop floor initiative born of the most natural need to provide sympathy and care for those who need it more than anything.

07.06.2006  Olympics For All
III Summer Belarusian National Special Olympic Games for individuals with mental limitations took place in “Staiki” sports complex in the Minsk region on June 1 – 4, 2006

02.06.2006  Life is … sports
When speaking of “Special Olympics” program we usually stress the sports–and–fitness aspect of it, and we are not all that wrong. No limitations, physical or mental, must prevent disabled people from feeling strong and fit and ready to compete if only among their equals.

07.04.2006  Rainbow Colors Make Their Life Brighter
The Rainbow program was initiated by the Hesed–Rachamim over two years ago. Its purpose is rehabilitation and adaptation of young disabled people with psycho–neurological problems. At present, twenty–two young disabled people participate in the program. Twice a weak, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they are brought to the MJC.

28.03.2006  “A Week of Psychological and Pedagogical Knowledge”
Lectures, discussions and master–classes are organized for the participants of the seminar “A Week of Psychological and Pedagogical Knowledge” which started at the MJC on 27th March. The event will last for five days. About 80 persons take part in the Seminar.

02.03.2006  Beautiful Rainbow Colours Bring Them Together
Winners of the preliminary contest, held for the clients of the Hesed Rachamim's «Rainbow» program took part in the competition devoted to the Motherland's Defenders Day. It was held on 26th February in the Invalids Rehabilitation and Social Support Centre.

20.01.2006  Mishpocha Magazine: New Edition, Reles in Russian
Publication of each issue of this magazine is an important event in the cultural life of the Belarusian Jewish Community. A meeting with Arkady Shulman, the editor–in–chief of the Mishpocha magazine, was organized by Hesed–Rachamim on January 11, 2006.

26.12.2005  Rainbow that Brings Joy and Hope
A party held at the Minsk Jewish Campus on December 13, 2005 was devoted to the 2nd anniversary of the Rainbow program implementation. The MJC's management and numerous guests congratulated instructors, volunteers and participants of the program with the anniversary.

26.12.2005  Spectacles from Britain
The World Jewish Relief (WJR) organization has been a regular sponsor to the Belarusian Jewish Community for the last two years. Within the framework of the Jewish family support program the WJR has already supplied to the Belarusian Jewish Community ten containers with humanitarian aid, donated a truck to the Hesed–Rachamim and the JFOC, and opened the WJR Gifts–in–Kind Distribution Centre at the MJC.

21.10.2005  Representatives of Minsk Social Services are Impressed by Hesed's Activities
On October 11, 2005 Hesed–Rachamim hosted a round table devoted to Elderly People's day and Mother's day — both events are celebrated in October. Representatives from different bodies of the population social protection system participated in the meeting, including heads of social protection departments of the city of Minsk, directors of regional centres for social services, experts from the labor and social protection committee subordinated to the Minsk city executive committee and experts from the Ministry of labor and social protection of the Republic of Belarus.

20.10.2005  Round Table in Kolodishchi
“Organisation of work on development of physical culture, sanitation and sports for disabled people” was the topic of the round table held on October 6 – 7, 2005 in the Disabled Sportsmen Support Centre in Kolodishchi, suburb of Minsk.


News archive:

2010:  June May April
2009:  December November August June April March
2008:  December
2007:  November August June May February January
2006:  December July June April March January
2005:  December October



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Alevtina Babyna became Hesed client in 1998 when the recrudescence of polyarthritis in lower limbs put her on crutches. The pain was insufferable, so was the feeling of helplessness and irrelevance against her long previous life full of physical endurance.

At 73, he still is what his father had been all his life: dedicated communist and convinced internationalist. Named after Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx’s pal and accomplice in their abortive attempts to overthrow the reign of misappropriated surplus value, he still mourns the USSR and blames those who emigrate for a better living in Israel, in the USA or, even worse, in Germany.

Tanya suffers from phenylketonuria also known as Filling's disease. It affects the brain, causing convulsions, hyperactivity, self–traumatic behavior and mental disorders.

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