Let me introduce you to Semen Borisovich Levenberg - a remarkable person, Veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Retired Colonel of Medical Service, active volunteer. He participates in the organization of chess tournaments. Semen Borisovich got keen on this intellectual game in 1940 and plays it as a candidate master. He also many times participated in many competitions including billiards, arm wrestling, and chess organized by cultural ethnical centers of the city, won first prizes representing our Community. He was doing all of these activities at the age of over 80 years old!

On December 20 The Jewish Community Center Rimon and Family Club Shalom gathered in Hesed Polina at the holiday table to celebrate 90-year jubilee of Semen Borisovich. Semen Borisovich was accompanied by his beloved wife Vera Timofeyevna, whom he met in 1950 in Khabarovsk. They were together since that time. The couple grew up together their son Leonid and grandson Ilya. The son came for the celebration from Israel. He said that his parents visited him in Israel for the first time in 1983. They also visited last year in 2008. The grandson Ilya said with passion: "My grandfather taught me and my father to play backgammon. But I would like to note that he beat us in this game and will always beat us!"

Volunteer Arkadiy Plotkin prepared a big wall newspaper devoted to Semen Borisovich. The holiday presenter - bright and beautiful Svetlana Nezhinskaya (also a volunteer) told all the guests, "90 years is the second youthfulness." Everybody looked at Semen Borisovich and agreed.

Lots of congratulations and best wished were said. Speakers were relatives - wife, son, grandson, daughter in law; Hesed Director Inessa Chugainova, Representative of Ethno-Forum Dina Nurmagambetova, comrade-in-arms Pilot Leonid Khanukayev, Editor of Davar Newspaper Isaak Dvorkin, Leader of the Family Club Shalom Sara Dotsenko, Chairman of the Jewish Cultural Center Alexander Gudkov, member of the Family Club, singing group Anahnuhan also congratulated Semen Borisovich. Maina Kabirova wrote a poem about Semen Borisovich.

Volunteer Victor Raisman, an honored singer in our Community, sang and played a guitar "For the whole remaining life", "People in white gowns", "Years fly", "My years is my wealth", "Team of our youth". There were many songs at the holiday, and it seemed that each song was written about Semen Borisovich. Every song was joined by the Club Shalom. We sang in chorus.

Colonel of the Medical Service Semen Levenberg keeps pace with modern times. He was born on December 18, 1919 in a big Jewish family in Herson Oblast in the Ukraine. In 1938, he graduated from Herson Medical School. Before the war he worked as a medical attendant at Baikal-Amur rail road. In June 1941 he was called up to the Red Army. He lost his four brothers during that dreadful war. He participated in military activities in the Far East. After the War he became a professional military man of the Medical Service. He served in Khabarovsk, Chita, Uzbekistan, from 1965-1975 in Central-Asia Military District. The Community admires his optimism. He actively works in the Family Club Shalom. He lives far away from the Club premises but it is not a barrier for Semen Borisovich. Moreover, Semen Levenberg is a Member of the Board of War Veterans of Turksib District. He is in charge of a sports club there. There is a lot we can learn from this remarkable person - his ability to be needed, to make life interesting and full of events. Let the light of his young eyes inspire people around him. All Jewish Community wishes Semen Levenberg to live till 120 years!

Lyudmila Starodubova