Jewish Community greatly respects and admires participants of the Great Patriotic War - people, who have protected the world from fascism. Our veterans, went through all horrors of the war, raised the country from ruins after the war, and even now they are never idle. Our veterans work as volunteers, write books, do counseling.

On April 25th we invited veterans of our community, children with parents, Hesed staff, and city dwellers to Hesed Polina. All these people came to pay tribute to the people who won the victory in that terrible war. Nastya Borovikova and Kolya Levyakova opened the event, they told about the tradition of planting "a tree of peace" to demonstrate our commitment to peace.

President of Mitsva Association Alexander Baron addressed the audience, "You are a life model for me. Looking at you today, I recollect my father, a veteran officer, who is no longer with us unfortunately. Any of you represent a life example that people should follow. The "trees of peace" that we will plant today will remind next generations about your heroism".

Deputy Chairwoman of the Ethnos-Forum of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan Malika Batabayeva congratulated everybody with the Victory Day and wished everybody peace and wellbeing.

Raabi Shevah Zlatopolskiy welcomed the audience, "Victory Day is in the period between Passover and Shavuot, holidays with a special meaning for Jewish people. In every generation there was somebody who wanted to annihilate Jews, but God protected us. This holiday is a tribute to our understanding that Victory is given by God".

Chairman of the Jewish Cultural Center Alexander Arepyev, "Our worries are minor compared to what you had to go through. Your recollections of the war and Victory are very important for educating our children. Teach us to love life as much as you do. Live long".

On behalf of the veterans, Mark Borisovich Velednitskiy, Artillery Colonel, spoke, "We are all waiting for this holiday. One more year has passed since the Victory. Last May, we promised to each other to meet on the 65th anniversary. I am very glad to see that almost everybody has come! The war is a horror, death, evacuation. I recollect the very beginning of the war - my native city, Kharkov. We, boys, immediately engaged in the protection of our beloved city - put out fire bombs on the roofs. The war is the greatest challenge, and the victory is the valuable award. That’s why people of all generations love this holiday and wait for it".

Hesed Polina is located in an apartment block. The chairwoman of the building, Aigul Mamytbekova, came to congratulate the veterans, "Both my grandfathers did not live to this day, but I am happy that we have you! Without you, there would be no us".

Here is the historic moment - two cherry trees in the hands of the veterans. The symbol of peace and life in the hands of those who protected life and made it continue. These trees will grow for a long time, will give tasty cherries. The youngest members of our community watered the trees with colorful pots.

Everybody who came for this celebration was telling the words of gratitude for the heroic deeds of the war generation. The Jewish Community Center prepared a holiday concert for the veterans that included the touching "Buhenvald Alarm Bell", the lyrical "Blue Scarf", and poems about the war and Victory.

After the concert, the veterans went out on the Hesed porch to take a traditional picture. It is sad that every year, there are less and less veterans to stand of the stairs of our Hesed. We would like our children to remember these elderly people with orders and medals, who have lived through the difficult time but remained honest, kind, and charitable.

In the Hesed canteen, everybody sat down at beautifully laid tables. We toasted the Victory. Our singing ensemble "Sovlanut" was singing war songs. The veterans would join in and sing together their favorite melodies. These are their songs and we inherited them.

Volunteers Supervisor Inna Borisovna Enina thanked the veterans, "Thank you very much that you are here with us. Lechaim!" Traditional Jewish toast matches this holiday very well! Our "lechaim" means "life". The life that our veterans protected; and gave us the opportunity to live.

Lyudmila Starodubova