Donated Clothes Provide Adults and Children in Minsk an Opportunity to "Dress Up"

On a recent frosty Sunday afternoon in Minsk, children at the Jewish Community Center (JCC), housed at the Minsk Jewish Campus (MEOD) played a familiar game of "dress up". Jewish music played on a loud speaker as they and their parents rummaged through donated clothes in search of a new wardrobe.

The event was one in a series of successful JDC-sponsored "Children to Children" programs, which promotes philanthropy and voluntarism among children. The timing of this particular activity, however, was key. Many parents had been in despair; funds were low, and their kids had outgrown their clothing from the previous winter. To make matters worse, harsh weather conditions in Minsk had suddenly made warm attire essential.

So at two o'clock in the afternoon, doors to the JCC were opened and participants of the "Madrichim" and "Teen Club" programs welcomed families to choose "new" clothes that had been donated by community members.

The teen groups were an integral part of the event, sorting shirts, dresses, skirts, sweaters, and pants by sizes to facilitate the parents' search. They also assisted mothers and fathers in choosing clothes and shoes for their children, as the kids tried on the fun new additions to their wardrobe.

"I have been coming to MEOD for all the 'Children to Children' activities and always find something nice for two of my children to wear and it saves so much money!" said Olga, 32.

For the first time, "Children to Children" offered an expanded selection of weather-appropriate clothing for adults, as well, which attracted many new participants.

The supply of garments was so comprehensive that many articles of clothing were left over. All of these items were forwarded to a non-Jewish Minsk orphanage as a non-sectarian aspect of the Jewish community's activities.