The Day Center at the Almaty Hesed Polina works for five days a week. There is a warm and friendly atmosphere here.

Day Center clients are all elderly people. They all have gone through the war and most of them were evacuated to Almaty in childhood. Today they are all retired but did not lose interest to life. They come to the Day Center to watch a new movie, borrow a book in the library, and socialize with each other. The Center Leader is Natalya Kriventsova. She always comes up with new ideas how to involve her group in most interesting activities.

Recently Iza Mikhailovna Shepshelevich turned 90 years old. Natalya Kriventsova went to her home to congratulate her with this remarkable anniversary. Iza Mikhailovna opened the door herself and invited the guests to her small tidy apartment. There are pictures of her children and grandchildren on the walls. Iza Mikhailovna has such a radiant smile that even young girls can envy her. Natalya Solomonovna congratulated Iza Mikhailovna, presented her a bouquet of roses and wished to live to the 120th birthday. We were looking at the kind smiling woman and were thinking that nothing is impossible.

At the same day there was a birthday party in the Day Center on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Mara Abramovna Shlyakova. There was a feast table with tea and a fruit cake. Everybody was saying nice words and wishes to this beautiful lady, Mara.

Most of these people live alone (even if they have children and grandchildren). It is a great pleasure for them to gather with their big Jewish family. Let the Day Center be their second home for many years ahead.

Lyudmila Starodubova