On August 2-11, we had guests in Almaty - students volunteers from the New York University and students-volunteers from Kazakhstan Jewish communities. The group of 44 boys and girls worked together and relaxed together. So different they are similar in the most important - each of them is a part of the Jewish community. Isn’t it wonderful that young people who came to New York to study from different parts of the U.S. and their peers who came from different parts of Kazakhstan (Kustanay, Karagandy, Pavlodar, Shymkent, Taraz, Petropavlovsk) met in Almaty to serve the Jewish community.

  On the arrival day, the guys got to know each other and the community. President of Mitsva Association Alexander Baron met with the students. He told them about Joint activities in Kazakhstan, about the Jewish community connections with the Assembly of Peoples of Kazakhstan. The students actively participated in the discussion. Alexander Baron showed our Jewish house - the library, reading room, exhibition of Israeli pictures and many other things.

  The next day the real work started. It requires a special preparation to be able to render assistance to old people. In the Hesed Polina, the students had a preliminary training of providing help, the basic principle is the following "help, but not harm". The students worked in joint groups. Somebody’s hard life was behind each address. The students were expected here. The old people expected the hands which could help and the warmth that the guys generously shared. Every day students had different assignments to be able to try themselves in different deeds - repair works, cleaning, creativity. They got tired and fell asleep on the way back (because when in Kazakhstan it was day, it was night on the part of the planet). But this could not prevent them from doing their best again and again.

  We prepared trainings for introduction and team building. I would like to note, that the guys would make friends without the trainings because joint work always unites. The students not only work well, but also relax well. So that everybody got good memories of Almaty we prepared an extensive cultural-entertainment program.

  "Jewish Alma-Ata" this excursion was prepared by students-volunteers from the community center Rimon. In the former capital, lots of places remind of famous Jews - politicians, scientists, musicians. "Jewish Ama-Ata" has a sacred place - grave of Rabbi Levi Itskhaka Shneerson - father of Lyubavich Rabbi. Here the students were led by Rabbi Betsalel after visiting Almaty synagogue.

  On the way to Almarasan, there is a falcon farm Sunkar and a horse barn. A horseman with a bird of prey on his hand is a symbol of Kazakhstan steppe. Here the students rode horses, watched how falcons are bred, had lunch sitting on the grass. In the evening, at the observation platform of Kok-Tyube, the guys took many pictures trying to preserve in their memories the beauty of the Southern city glimmering in the darkness.

  One of the students groups every day worked in the summer children’s camp. They taught the children Jewish songs and dances, created a painting "Creation of the World". As the God created for 6 days, our guests every day added some new traits to the painting. Finally it was ready, a painting shining with bright colors with Adam and Hava sitting in its corner. In front of the painting children from the summer camp were singing songs in Hebrew and the students were singing with them.

  СOn Friday, students were meeting Saturday - the girls were in beautiful dresses, the boys in white shirts. Two candles in the traditional candlestick were lit by Victoria Gershik, the Saturday prayer was read by me - Inessa Chugainova. Then every girl lit her own candle in honor of Shabbat. Artur Zaitov recited the blessing for wine and bread. Rachel Slaf suggested playing the game Ball. Everybody started to transfer to each other a blue thread ball, the person who got the ball needed to say his opinion about the Project. Soon all the space in front of the guys was covered with blue threads. We sang Shabbat songs together, had dinner, played games. The next day, we had Makkabiada competitions organized by Bekhzod Artygaliyev.

  The students met with representatives of Joint Max Visel and representative of Jerusalem Joint Serl Brightman in the Jewish community center.

  One week has passed. Everybody made friends. In the newly repaired cafeteria of Hesed Polina, it were already not American and Kazakhstani students who gathered but just Jewish young people. They sang songs, danced, did sketches in two languages, demonstrated a great sense of humor, made computer presentations. Max Visel, Reperesentative of Joint in Central Asia, Alexander Baron, President of Mitsva Association, and Director of Hesed Polina Innesa Chugainova came to express their gratitude to the students for their help. Alexander Baron noted the hard work done by students and hinted that we were all relatives in the past, offsprings of representatives of European Jewish communities. Wearing velvet skullcaps, with souvenirs in their hands, students went to the Hesed terrace steps to take a picture.

   I would like to note that we did not have any difficulties because of a different mentality. Commitment to mutual understanding was the basis of this Project.

Inessa Chugainova