For the winter vacations, children from the Astana Jewish Community Center went to Zhumbaktas resort located at the Shuchye lake shore in the pine trees forest. The resort is surrounded by mysterious winter forest, the Sleeping Knight Mounting, endless snow-covered lake. The Resort name is translated as "a magic stone". This fairy tale-like scenery surrounded our children throughout all their vacation.


After breakfast, children went skiing. We were lucky with weather as it was sunny and windless. All together, children and adults, were sliding from steep slopes. Who were keen on skating could skate at the specially prepared skating rink. The children were moving around all day and they had a great appetite. Meals were very good. We did not forget about the "nutrition" for the soul. There were many quizzes to expand Torah knowledge, a drawing competition "Jewish holidays", and Hebrew lessons. There was an award ceremony to celebrate the winners. In the evenings our never quiet children worked out at the fitness center, played billiards, chess, tennis or danced at the discotheque. Fresh pine trees air gave our children the energy even for learning English, impossible task for vacation. They were speaking English and were having fun.


Our children were also lucky to take advantage of the Resort’s great medical treatment program. They loved the tasty and sweet-scented oxygen cocktails with honey and rosehips and galotherapy - breathing ionized salt air. Those who had throat problems could do galotherapy in a moist salt chamber.


When the vacation was over, the children took home lots of photographs and wonderful memories: a woodpecker on the top of a pine tree, a squirrel running in the winter forest, a curious hare, timid roe deers (we were feeding them bread and fruits). Nature teaches us to be kind, gives energy and joy. Here we could even better feel the beginning of Saturday, when everything is being filled with light and peace. Our large and friendly Jewish family had Shabbat together - lighting candles, sitting together around a holiday table. Thanks to Astana Hesed and Mitsva Association that we had a great rest and could practice Jewish traditions. This is very important for us!

Lyudmila Tsymbalyuk