|  The
Jewish community is often compared with a family and a family needs to have a
leader. The present and future of the community depends on him. But to make the
right decision in every situation he must have special knowledge and skills.
Where
do leaders get knowledge, how do they learn to make decisions? Of course, inborn
talent and experience help many of them. But youth is not an obstacle for being
a leader, thus, not only mature wisdom gives an opportunity to become the head
of the community…
"Leadership" seminar that began
on April 6 in Almaty was an important event for Jewish leaders of Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, and Kirgizia. Four days of training, lectures, and discussions were
meant not only to provide the participants with useful information, but also to
inspire them with new ideas.
 "We
have no right to exist without such meetings!" - said Irina Kozhanovskaya,
the head of Karaganda JCC. "Self-education and correspondence
with colleagues help to certain extend, but soon you start feeling need of new
ideas and new look at the same problems. "Leadership" seminar is a real
opportunity to make a step forward to a new quality level of work in the community
and for the community."
Training was supplemented
with visits to Hesed Polina and Rimon JCC. They helped the participants to learn
more about the work of those organizations and to make new friends. Their openness
and readiness to communicate was amazing. Larissa Poltavskaya, the JCC coordinator
of children's and youth programs was the first to answer the guests' questions,
to argue and share her experience, and to ask for advice.
 "How
often are meetings of the youth club held and what makes a motivation for them?" -
asked Boris Nedosekov, the head of "Hillel" in Tashkent city.
"According
to the schedule the guys meet once a week, but our center is always open for them.
That is why no wonder that we see them here almost everyday."
"What attracts them to the JCC? It's a hard question. I can
tell about the things I see, but not the guys' feelings. That's why you should
draw conclusions yourself. Rimon offers them the following programs: Hebrew club,
computer club, acting technique and direction studies; there is a rehearsal room
for our rock-group", - listed Larissa
Poltavskaya.
The first part of "Leadership" seminar
is over. We look forward to seeing Jewish leaders of Uzbekistan and Kirgizia in
Almaty again. May the ideas and joint projects that appeared during the seminar
be fulfilled and do good to the community.
Galina Goldberg |
