Last summer, under initiative of Joint Distribution Committee Joint, a group of American Jewish students from Boston University Tufts came to Hesed Polina. The purpose of their trip was participating in volunteering programs. In Almaty, they renovated and cleaned apartments of sick and old members of the Jewish Community, put in order a multi-thousand stock of books at the Republican Jewish Library. Local Almaty students were doing the same work along with their American peers.

  American and Kazakhstani students worked together and had fun together. Tours around the city, museums, concerts, discotheques, competitions. Ten days spent in our city stuck in their memory so much that guys have created own blog www.jdcrockskazakhstan.blogspot.com and started getting ready for the new trip.

  From the 2nd to 11th of August, an international program Volunteer will work again in Hesed Polina. 22 American and 22 Kazakhstani project participants will meet here. This year, students from Jewish communities of Almaty, Kustanay, Pavlodar, Karagandy, Chimkent, Taraz, and Petropavlovsk will work in this program.

  Shabbat, Avdola, Makkabiada, learning about Jewish way of life in the US and Kazakhstan, tours of historic places, picnics - this is not a full list of planned activities of the Hesed Polina.

  Short term volunteering program of Joint in Kazakhstan is related to implementation of service projects and social charity work. It shows connection to the community, cultural exchange among American and Kazakhstani students, learning about Jewish life in different countries. The project is mutually beneficial. This is not only a significant help to the Community, it also enlarges scope, and promotes establishing contacts among Jewish young people.

Inessa Chugainova