2nd Day in Konotop:

A few days ago we found ourselves in Konotop. Although the first day in Konotop we spent our day picking potatoes and fruit for the Hesed, today was spent a little different. We spent a lot of time learning all about the special services that that the Hesed provided including home care, food, and other needs for the elderly within their Jewish community. Today our group were privileged with getting to meet, interact, and help three of the older community members which was so amazingly fulfilling.

Personally, I went to visit a 80year old man named Gregory, who called himself by his Yiddish name Hershel the whole time which I thought was just the cutest. Here he is living in a community with a very small population of Jews or anyone that can even speak Yiddish, and he’s all about being called by his Yiddish name. He lived in a two bedroom home with his Ukrainian wife who was not herself Jewish. As we walked into his yard filled with the most amazingly beautiful flowers I had ever seen, Hershel greeted us all with a huge smile and kind handshake.After our first hellos he asked us to help him with his garden.

Together, all of us girls picked and carried buckets full of apples to there trash site that were rotting on his beautiful garden floor. We may have gotten attacked by a few creepy crawlers but it was so worth it in the end seeing how happy he was sitting with his wife in the backyard watching us clean his garden. He looked sat there anxiously with an arm full of bright red apples to give all of us for our job well done (I’ve never seen someone so excited to give me a piece of fruit).After all of our hard work we got to sit with him & his wife. We learned that he was born and raised in the Ukraine, met his wife abroad (also from the Ukraine) while in the army, & when he came back he worked in an upholstery factory. He had two sons one who had sadly just recently died in Israel. He was very interested in the economics of America and their factories mostly when we spoke. Also mentioned was that he & his wife were going to be celebrating their 55th anniversary in November. I thought it was so amazing that 2 people could love each other for such a long time.Before we left, Hershel gave all 6 of us girls a special rose from his garden which he had grown himself. He gave each of us what Sarah & I describe as: “The best hug we’ve ever had in our entire lives”. He was so warm and caring. They were so appreciative that it brought tears to most of our eyes. As we said our goodbyes and mazol tovs on their anniversary I couldn’t help but think I may never see them again, but I know that all of us would never forget each other or our experience.

Love to all!

Erica Rosenstien