SUMMER FAMILY CAMP

  Family for Jews is the highest value. Its unity is an obligatory trait of a traditional Jewish home. Unfortunately, many Jewish traditions have been lost in Kazakhstan. That is why it is our task to revive the national culture in the community. We do our best to make Sabbaths, holidays, kashruth meals constant attributes in the life of Jews here. The family club organized by the Pavlodar "Rachel" Hesed tries to help those who are willing. In order to accustom people to the Tradition, the meeting of the community members in the family camp was held. The Zherebetskies family decided to tell us about their trip:

  It was an unusual and rich trip for us, the families of "Rachel" Hesed. We spent three days in Pavlodar oblast on the territory of Bayan-Aul reserve by Zhasybay lake. The purpose of this trip was not only rest, but also communication in the casual atmosphere that help the community to become united, to know each other better, to learn more about the traditions of the Jewish family.

  The day we arrived we climbed a high mountain and set up a camp there. The leader of the group Irina Tveritneva offered an unusual way to get acquainted. Everybody had to introduce his or her family under its own name and motto. The Sidorovskies' "United Family", the Tveritnevs' "Iguana", The Halupovichs' "Kazakhstan-Israel Force" introduced themselves in all their glory. The teams' leaders told about their relatives, their home meetings. It was merry and noisy. In the evening, during the celebration of Sabbath, our little friend from Israel Ary, said blessing for the wine and bread. Then we sang songs and danced national dances together.

  Saturday morning gave us a bright sun. The day was full of pacification. We enjoyed communication, admired wonderful landscapes, magnificent mountains, clear and transparent Zhasybay lake. All that remained us one more time how powerful the hand of G-d is. Before the sunset Irina Tveritneva made a quiz on the history of Israel. Everybody eagerly gave answers and got prizes. The day was over with tea-drinking under the open sky, which lasted long after midnight.

  When in the reserve, we went sightseeing. We visited Zhasybay's grave and "The Witches Canyon", which met us with fantastical forms of rocks, darkness, and coolness. Strong youngsters climbed the mountain "Bulka". Everybody was pleasantly surprised seeing among the youngsters Marta Vladimirovna Sidorovskaya, one of the old-timers of our community. It was she who got the prize for brevity and will to win. Before leaving, we visited a nice spring attracting lots of tourists, to taste the cold mountain water good-bye. It made us think again about the universal meaning of communication with the source, in our case the source of the belief, the culture, the Tradition.

  We made a lot of things during those three days: we made friends, found out a lot of new things about each other, got supply of good spirit and inspiration. We want to thank the leaders of "Rachel" Hesed - Tatyana Slivinskaya and Irina Tveritneva for giving us an opportunity to get together at least for three days, and to realize the real meaning of the words: "All Jews are responsible for one another!".

The Zherebetskies