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A Unique Chanukah "Masterpiece" Brings Different Groups Together in Minsk
The Minsk Jewish Campus is abuzz about a Chanukah theater project with a special twist. For the first time, elderly Hesed clients have come together with young disabled members of the Minsk community to participate in a theater workshop. The actors, ranging in age from 18-90 years old, are developing a unique Chanukah "masterpiece" to be performed at the Campus. The Minsk Jewish Campus houses many JDC-assisted organizations, including Hesed, the JCC, Mazel Tov and the Jewish Family Outreach Service. For the past three years, Lena, the director of social programs for Raduga, the Jewish organization for young mentally disabled individuals ages 18-23, has held a special Chanukah theater workshop that culminates with a well-received performance for the Minsk Jewish community. To mix things up a bit this year, Lena decided to add another element. She invited elderly Hesed clients to participate in the Chanukah workshop believing that the diverse actor roster would create a powerful combination of Raduga's creativity and Hesed's wisdom. With the help of a professional stage manager, 20 members of Raduga and 15 Hesed clients are teaming up to make a unique theatrical work. Professionals and specialists working respectively with Hesed, Raduga, and the Jewish Family Outreach Service believe that this demonstration of teamwork will be mutually beneficial to both Hesed and Raduga clients. Elderly clients with physical ailments always feel energized and useful when they help others, as well as more energetic and years younger when they spend productive time with youth. And the members of Raduga also benefit, they are exposed to different ways of behaving and thinking and can look up to the elderly as role models. Ultimately, this special Chanukah project benefits not only the participants, but the larger Jewish community by providing an important example of how constructive inter-organizational and intergenerational cooperation can be on the Minsk Jewish Campus. December 2006 |
