On May 17th, Rimon organized a meeting with veterans to honor their deeds at the Great World War II. People who participated and survived in the war were invited in the Jewish Center to recollect the time when they were defending our motherland, recollect their front-line comrades, the country in which they lived. Hesed Director Inessa Chugainova warmly addressed our dear guests: "… there isn’t a single family which was not affected by the war. Let me express my sincere gratitude to you for what you have done for us". Then veterans received our gifts.

Children from a dancing ensemble Ionaty and a signing group of the Jewish Community Center came to congratulate grand fathers and grand mothers. Cheerful dances and song "Smuglyanka" performed by the children became the holiday’s hit. The concert was continued by Sovlanut choir, which performed songs of the war times. Between performances each veteran was presented to the audience: arm, rank, name of the front, orders, medals.

The holiday was continued with a holiday meal "front-line 100 grams". Recollecting the war, Leonid Girsh, Yuriy Sheiderman, Gita Yakovleva recited their own poems. Lyubov Koretskaya said: "I was an underage prisoner of a concentration camp. For me the Victory Day is on the 24th of April, when we were set free by Soviet troops…".

The same day, Family club well known for its warm friendly atmosphere invited veterans to visit it. And again we were signing the touching songs of the war times. Victor Raisman - "guitar of the Family club" started signing, everybody joint him. The holiday began with deeply moving "Zhuravly". Svetlana Nezhinskaya told about how difficult that Victory was. 25% of the country population was lost during the War. 501,000 Jews served in the army and 131 of them received an honorary title of Soviet Union Hero.

We took a picture in front of Hesed Polina at this sunny day. Each year we have fewer veterans visiting the Jewish Community to celebrate this sacred holiday. Only on the 9th of May we realize how much we owe these elderly people. We wish them health and long time to live!

Lyudmila Starodubova