Each month we will share a blog post about the Volunteer of the Month featured in our JCC 2017 calendar which features the young adults, most of whom are not Jewish who spend their time volunteering at the JCC to help us rebuild Jewish life in Krakow.
EWA
Where are you from?
I was born and grew up in Krakow.
Why did you decide to volunteer at the JCC?
For as long as I remember, I have been interested in Jewish culture. One day, I realized it was my calling to contribute to the revival of Jewish life in Krakow, and what better place was there to start than the JCC? I applied for the volunteer program, I got accepted, and I stayed. Being part of the Jewish revival makes me happy and inspires me every day. Thanks to my volunteer service at the JCC, I have learned many interesting things that I would have never learned anywhere else.
What is your best JCC memory/the person you met/the experience you had?
It is tough for me to choose only one, but what I really enjoy is helping out at Shabbat dinners and during Jewish holidays as well as talking to the members of the JCC Senior club - they have a lot of surprising and inspirational stories to share.
What is one of your favourite things at the JCC?
What I love the most about the JCC is the atmosphere, which is incredible! Because of the atmosphere, I usually linger in the JCC building long after my shift is done, just hanging out and talking to people. I have a feeling that the place itself attracts amazing people, who build the community and create a new, more beautiful Krakow. I owe a lot to the JCC and I will never forget the time I have spent here.
JULIA
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Krakow.
Why did you decide to volunteer at the JCC?
Prior to making the decision to join the JCC volunteer program and become part of this incredible community, I had participated in many workshops and activities organized by the JCC and taken part in the Jewish Culture Festival. I was encouraged to join the volunteer program at the JCC by my sister Ewa who had already been a volunteer there for quite some time. I thought it was a great - and productive! - way to spend my summer holidays. I started by helping during the Jewish Culture Festival and as a result, I stayed on at the JCC for the fall semester. I guess, once you join the JCC’s team of volunteers, you’re hooked on the experience and you don’t ever want to leave.
What is your best JCC memory/the person you met/the experience you had?
My best JCC memory is the so-called Silent Disco, which took place during the Festival in 2016 in the JCC’s backyard. We all danced, laughed and partied with earplugs in our ears. It was an amazing experience and an unforgettable party.
What is one of your favourite things at the JCC?
The thing I like the most about the JCC is that it is a place that is open to everyone. Literally, everyone. I always feel good and comfortable when I am here, because this place draws in so many interesting and diverse people. Thanks to them, the JCC is full of life. Everyday you can meet here someone with an incredible story, therefore every time I am here I learn something new and expand my horizons. Because of the atmosphere at the JCC, I have many nice memories and I always want to come back here.