What kind of pain can a person endure?
Information about this is extremely vague… The WHO scale of assessment of physical pain that does not interfere with daily life is from 1 to 3… severe and unbearable pain is from 7 to 10.
What about the mental pain?
On what scale should it be measured and is it definable?
Everyone has suffered from mental pain at least once, when it is impossible to breathe, when it tears apart and creates the feeling that you are alone in this world.
Since October 7, 2023, we have all been experiencing mental pain, misunderstanding for what, rejection of the situation when everything collapsed in an instant: dreams, plans, lives …
A situation arose when the whole country was experiencing mental pain, stupor, horror, panic… when news has been coming every day for a year and a half, one scarier than the other, when even small children know about the terrible situation in which we all find ourselves.
And we were not prepared for this situation! How can a mother answer her child’s question, «Mom, can I be stolen too?» or «Mom, why was my friend killed?»
And what can be answered to these questions if the friend was only 4 years old, why was he killed?
If any child, adult, or old man in Israel can be killed or captured by Palestinian terrorists, because you are just a Jew, because our lives have become a bargaining chip for Hamas militants.
My guest today is Olesya Kantor. 10 years ago, she founded the Lev Yesh Charitable Foundation, which helps people in difficult situations.
After October 7, her charity was one of the first to come to the aid of those who needed her.
Olesya, is charity a responsibility?
Marin, I think that charity is primarily about caring.
And charity is not something and not necessarily only related to financial assistance.
Charity is everything that goes from heart to heart.
Remember, when we were little, there were October, pioneer, and Komsomol organizations in the Soviet Union.
And within the framework of the activities of these organizations, we were necessarily taught to help others.
We helped pensioners, we helped veterans, we helped small children cross the road, we collected waste paper and scrap metal.
We went out on a clean-up day to clean the city before the holidays.
It was all charity.
It’s something that one person does for free in order to make another person’s life better.
You know, my neighbor used to live in another city and she had another neighbor, a grandmother who is completely alone here in Israel. She has an only son and he lives somewhere in Canada. And this grandmother, because she is already old, was transferred to a nursing home, and my neighbor cooks food for her every week, every Friday morning.
Homemade food, she makes hala for her herself, and every Friday she goes to her at this nursing home, which is now 40 km from where she lives, so that this grandmother can bring homemade hala, homemade food to the Friday table so that she does not feel that she is alone, so that she feels and She knew that there was someone nearby who cared about her.
That’s what I call charity — it’s actions and desires that come from our hearts.
How is Lev Ash organized?
Tell us about your organization, please?
My organization, «Lev Ash», which translates into Russian as «fiery heart» — and this is exactly what I told you in response to your first question — is an organization that unites volunteers and professionals who are ready to help people who are in or out of difficult living conditions, from such conditions under which their lives changed dramatically. It is an organization that unites professional psychologists, psychiatrists, and any kind of therapists, ranging from yoga therapy and phototherapy and florotherapy to those people who want to learn and take courses in order to be qualified to provide first aid or accompany a person in the process of rebuilding his new life.
I created this organization 10 years ago.
First, I started working with women in shelters for women who have been subjected to domestic violence.
It was a topic that was very close to me, because at the beginning of my life in Israel, I myself found myself in such a shelter for women with my ten-month-old daughter, and if it weren’t for the kind people who surrounded me with attention and care, who helped me gain strength and see new goals, I think I would have It would have been much more difficult to cope with the difficult life situation I found myself in — alone, without a family, without money, without knowledge of the language, in a country that was new and unfamiliar to me at that time.
People who didn’t know me at all, but who, at the call of their hearts, came to the aid of a woman who was having a hard time at the time — these people became a real role model for me.
I promised myself that one day I would definitely return all the kindness that I had received from other people to our society, which is how my organization «Lev Ash» came into being.
Do you cooperate with other organizations or the government?
Yes, of course I cooperate with other organizations.
And after October 7, and with government organizations.
As for helping women who experience domestic violence and get out of this situation, I work with many classic women’s organizations such as «WIZO», «NAMAT», «JDC» and other organizations and foundations that provide shelters, social workers, and transitional apartments for women who already They have left the shelter, but they are not yet ready enough to start «independent swimming» and want to start an independent life, but not so far from the shelter that they can seek help if necessary.
After October 7, when I started working with the victims of the «Nova» festival, with wounded soldiers, with their mothers, of course, I immediately realized the need to cooperate with government organizations.
I started working with local government committees and municipalities, because any affected family should receive support from their local community, and the local social worker and local people, where each family lives, they should know them, they should see them, feel them.
People should constantly feel the care and attention of the society for which they have made such great sacrifices.
And if, for example, a person suffers from psychological trauma after everything he has seen and heard since October 7, people who have lost their relatives and friends… Can they count on the help of your foundation?
Of course, anyone who asks for help from my foundation will receive a response, and I will contact them with the appropriate organizations that will be able to respond to all their requests — if it is psychological help, if it is financial help, if it is necessary to participate in a therapeutic group, any help that can be provided. to the injured person.
One of the biggest successes of my work is that I have a large list of contacts of the necessary organizations and charitable foundations that accept applications, consider and really help the affected people.
And I am not just redirecting people to these funds, but also making sure that the issue is considered and the decision is brought to an end.
How do you define your basic life values and goals for yourself?
You know, I really like this quote from Mark Twain: «The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you realized why.»
The person you are destined to become is only the person you choose to become.
I decided a long time ago that I would be the kind of person who helps other people, and I became one.
If you had even a minute to introduce yourself, what would you say?
I am the mother of four beautiful daughters. And this is my joy and a source of inspiration.
I’m also a best-selling author, which I write in Hebrew! And this is also my pride.
If you need help, you can contact the staff and volunteers of the Lev Yesh Foundation by email.:
ok555kk@gmail.com
More detailed information about the foundation can be found on the website:
https://www.olessia-kantor.com/
And remember: You are not alone! We are together and we will succeed!
photo by Maria Troyanker