Buckhead - The Jewish Georgian

Page 8 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN September-October 2007
A mission to Moldova brings blessings to all
By Susan N. Orloff
With trepidation, this 60-year-old occupational
therapist packed suitcases
crammed with toys and began a journey that
would actualize the Yiddish song, “Mayn
Shtetle Beltz” (My Little Shtetl Beltz).
It was a journey less of miles and more
of visualized memories of what my Bubbie
Yettie had told me of her life “back in the
old country” and images of my mother, of
Blessed Memory, glibly referring to herself
as the “Queen of Romania.” In so many
ways, I felt as if I went home.
And like trips back home, it was warm,
welcoming, and familiar.
I almost didn’t go. I was scared and
unsure about going far away to a place
where I didn’t know anyone. My daughter’s
good friends, the Spaldings, convinced me
otherwise, and so, on faith in Hashem, off I
went.
Once the decision was made, it was as if
instant fairy godmothers appeared in the
form of Terri Bagen, Julie Kaminsky, and
Natalia Alhazov. The trip was organized by
Jewish Healthcare International and directed
by Terri, who is a mitzvah guided by the
hand of G-d.
The first stop was Kishinev, a bustling
city of electric streetcars and outdoor cafés.
It is also home to the Kishinev Jewish
Center, a large building housing a daycare
center and multiple Jewish agencies, working
to recreate, stimulate, and preserve
Jewish life in an area of the world that was
over 60% Jewish before World War II. The
optimism, dedication, and hunger for information
demonstrated by the staff and program
participants was infectious; I was at
once both the teacher and the student—
learning from them about appreciating life
at its roots, while re-discovering mine.
Next came Tiraspol, an island of
Russian rule in the middle of the country,
where visas are required for entry. Now that
was scary! It was as if we needed a visa to
go from Buckhead to Marietta.
But visas and rules and a 90-minute
border delay didn’t diminish the warm
reception we received from the doctors,
therapists, teachers, parents, and children,
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Inbar Kremer, Miri Ratson (standing),
Susan Orloff, Natalia Alhazov,
Brooke Zimet, and Lauren Zimet
who displayed an evident love of learning.
As an occupational therapist who uses
games as therapy, I know that the language
of play requires no interpreter, so I prepared
various activities in which the children
eagerly joined.
Beltz was amazing, both the Jewish
center and the home visits. Going to see the
homes—the small, well-kept living quarters
of people who are poor but proud—was
heart-warming. This was the shtetl. The dirt
roads, the gardens of potatoes, and kitchens
smaller than most of our guest bathrooms
awed me as I remembered my bubbie’s
“struddle and milikah”—how did she do it
in such a small place? I could close my eyes
and see Shabbos of 100 years ago in these
humble, well-loved little homes.
Camp was another experience—I taught
baseball, one of my favorites—and both
children with and without disabilities
played together. Although all the games
were “tied”—courtesy of a little rigging on
my part—clearly, I felt like the winner.
My mission-mates were outstanding.
We became more than colleagues—we
formed friendships that I am sure will last.
We learned so much from one another.
Lauren Zimet expanded my vision of
speech therapy, and her empathy with children,
teachers, and families expanded my
professionalism as well. I am lucky that she
lives so close, so our relationship can con-
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Susan Orloff leading a therapy
group activity at summer camp
retreat
tinue.
An extra bonus was that Lauren and I
met the U.S. Ambassador to Moldova, and
we are working on possibly helping him
with improving healthcare conditions there.
So to Lauren Zimet, the speech therapist
(with her daughter Brooke—an angel and
the mascot of our mission); Israeli psychologist
Inbar Kremer; Israeli physical therapist
Miri Ratson; Drs. Elena Deseatnicova
and Octave Cenusa, who were our translators;
and Natalia Alhazov, a teacher and the
JHI coordinator in Moldova—I want to
thank all of you for truly making the experience
in Moldova one of both mitzvahs and
magic!
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