September is a special month for the Jewish people. In early autumn, we celebrate the important holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. And clients of the Khmelnytskyi Charitable Foundation “Hesed Besht” celebrate another important date: the birthday of their Hesed.
On September 16, we turned 22. These are years of formation, restlessness, and creative burning. Because although the fund was created primarily to solve the material problems of people who suffered from Nazism during World War II, it took on another important mission: to revive Judaism in its region. And we succeeded! And over time, our fund took care of the Jewish communities of Ternopil, Rivne, and Volyn regions.
There is probably no person in the western region of the country who has not heard about the extensive activities of our Hesed. We have mastered 157 types of social services, including assistance with medicines, financial support for medical operations, purchase of clothes, shoes, blankets, food, payment of utility bills, home repairs, purchase of complex household appliances, hot meals, the “Bank Card” program... However, our achievements do not end there. KLent Hesedin receive not only material benefits, but something immeasurably more. This is love and respectful treatment, this is the satisfaction of spiritual and cultural needs. Our clients especially liked the historical, cultural, and spiritual and educational programs: excursions, concerts, celebrations of Jewish and public holidays, and memorable dates, various projects, including volunteer and literary and publishing projects, as well as the communication project "Let's connect!", comprehensive assistance to families and children, artistic and culinary master classes, legal assistance, medical consultations, movie screenings, music lounges, interest clubs…
Let's say right away: we were lucky with the leader. For all 22 years, the Hesed Besht Foundation has been headed by Honored Social Worker of Ukraine Igor Oleksandrovych Ratushny. He is not only a talented organizer and a strong business owner. First of all, he is a creative person, full of interesting ideas, the implementation of which invariably leads to new successes. And even during quarantine and complete lockdown, he found an opportunity to keep the work of Hesed and its regional offices in full swing. Then volunteer programs became especially widespread: delivery of medicines, food, hot lunches, protective masks, sanitary and hygienic products to our elderly and disabled clients... All managers have mastered working in Zoom, more than a hundred clients aged 67+ received free smartphones to participate in interesting online Hesed programs so as not to lose touch with the community.
Someone wise said: it is easy to love humanity as a whole, but very difficult to love a specific person. A big and sensitive heart must beat in the chest so that there is a place for each client. We can give such a compliment to all our employees. We do not let indifferent and random people stay with us. That's why "Hesed Besht" has a good reputation not only in our region, but also throughout the country.
Let's say right away: we don't work for fame or recognition. Giving gifts is just as pleasant as receiving them. For us, the gratitude of our clients and the realization that we arerichettnand to the creation of good deeds, to the multiplication of good on Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHqtNzd84pQ
