Vokathon in Ivano-Frankivsk 2025
We are pleased to share the results of the volunteer practical seminar that took place on 11–14 September in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk became a place of action on 11–14 September, where volunteering turned into a challenge, and the challenge into a deep transformation. Over three days, 45 volunteers and 6 coordinators from 19 cities of Ukraine, representing 20 volunteer centers of the “Volunteer Community” network, came together to do something real: to support the Jewish community of the city without knowing in advance what tasks awaited them.
The Vocathon format, in addition to providing practical assistance, is a test of cohesion, creativity, and humanity. Participants learn about their tasks only on site, work in new teams, often without resources, but with a strong desire to be useful. And it is precisely this desire that becomes the driving force behind meaningful change.
Over three intense days, Vocathon participants demonstrated extraordinary dedication and a shared will to transform the space and the lives of the Jewish community of Ivano-Frankivsk. From morning until evening, volunteers worked tirelessly, dividing into several directions, each of which became a small story of care and mutual support.
In the synagogue, the sounds of work and friendly conversations filled the air: volunteers removed old and unnecessary furniture and belongings, cleared rooms of dust and debris, washed windows, and no request for help was left unanswered. The Head of the community and the Rabbi noted that without the volunteers’ support, it would have taken much longer to complete this work independently. The newly freed spaces are planned to be used for classrooms within new community programs.
At the same time, another group of volunteers worked hand in hand at the old Jewish cemetery. They cut bushes and trees, mowed tall grass, and carefully cleared away remnants of the past so that respect and memory would not lose their strength. This quiet and moving work filled hearts with an understanding of history and the importance of heritage. Even two days of rain did not stop them.
Volunteer activities at Hesed, the community support center, filled the space with bright colors and renewed energy. Entrance and interior doors were given new life; walls and ceilings shone with fresh paint decorated with drawings featuring Jewish symbols; windows sparkled transparently in the sunlight; and the cozy courtyard with a restored bench became an even warmer place for meetings. The main hall of the community center has now become truly welcoming and inviting—a place where people want to gather and hold events.
Considerable efforts were also made by the team focused on the programmatic development of the community, preparing activities for different generations. They implemented ideas aimed at enriching the cultural life of the Jewish community with new colors—festive programs for the month of Tishrei and recreational and educational events for children that unite and inspire. This group did not limit itself to methodologies and future plans only; they also prepared and conducted activities for younger children of the community, laying the foundation for ongoing community engagement together with local volunteers.
A separate direction of the Vocathon was targeted assistance to elderly and low-income community members. Volunteers worked in homes where every wall held stories and every need awaited a response. Daily, individualized assistance became a warm thread connecting people. They painted doors, ceilings, and window frames; replaced sockets and switches; re-papered walls; whitewashed bathrooms; sealed windows; and repaired pipes. But most importantly, they brought a sense of presence, support, and care. Each completed task restored a feeling of home, safety, and dignity for those who received help.
In many cases, this was the first renovation in decades—the first renewal of space, the first feeling that someone came not just with tools, but with an open heart. Particularly touching was the story of an elderly woman whose initial task was to help with electrical work and paint doors. Seeing the condition of her kitchen, the volunteers decided to do more and, within a few days, carried out a full renovation—the first in over 30 years. They painted walls, repaired surfaces, and renewed a space that had long needed warmth. Most valuable of all was that her son, who had limited mobility after a stroke, joined the process and helped as much as he could. His participation became a symbol of how care can awaken strength that once seemed lost.
The shared celebration of Shabbat in the synagogue, which volunteers had cleaned the day before, and Havdalah in the city park became special moments that united volunteers and the community in a sense of togetherness.
Here are a few volunteer testimonials:
- “The task was interesting. We managed thanks to perseverance, determination, and sincerity. If someone didn’t know something, they said it openly, and together we found a solution. That is a real team.”
- “When we received our task, it was a shock for me: ‘go there, we don’t know where, bring that, we don’t know what.’ But we did it! It’s like moving to a new level.”
- “I really like this format. Despite the fatigue, it inspires you. You make people happy, change their everyday life, their order, their lives. And you also see a new city and meet interesting people. This is not my first Vocathon, and every time it is something special.”
This format of volunteer seminars is not only about providing high-quality and rapid assistance to local communities and specific beneficiaries. It is about integration, partnership, and how volunteers become part of the community, even if they come from another city. It is about how actions done with love change not only spaces, but also atmosphere, feelings, and connections. It is about a better tomorrow for the community, built by the volunteer community already today, based on rich experience and inexhaustible motivation.
The Vocathon in Ivano-Frankivsk showed that volunteering is not a separate activity, but a way of being together, creating together, growing together. And every participant returned home with new experience, new connections, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be an active part of the community—because who, if not you, and when, if not now!