The story of a couple who fell in love with each other again after volunteering
This year, Tu B’Av fell out just as the Shalom Corps Local Community Impact Initiative competition results came to a close. If you don’t know what it is, Tu B’Av is a Jewish day of love and romance. A Valentine’s day of sorts, Tu B’Av serves as a reminder for couples to get dressed up and go out for a date. And for many Israelis, it’s a great day to get married.
It got us at Shalom Corps thinking. Have any couples met, bonded or fallen in love while volunteering? The answer is yes. One couple in Argentina fell in love for a second time when they began volunteering together.
Written by Ariela Fefer of Argentina: I met a great person when I was 16 years old. Alejandro and I dated for 8 years and have already been married for 20.
We’ve built so much together and share some beautiful moments. We’ve supported each other through challenges that we’ve faced personally and professionally.
We have 3 children whom we love. We’ve spent much of our time transferring the values we consider important onto them. We are very friendly, and we love to travel in order to add experiences to our lives that make us feel happy. We engage with many organizations that align with the mission of Shalom Corps as well.
My husband was introduced to Helpers months ago and whenever he came home, he would tell us about the foundation, what they do and what their their purpose is. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all been at home in quarantine and that’s when he began to have many talks with the managers of Helpers.
I fell in love with his commitment to help.
Ariela Fefer, on falling in love with her husband when he started to volunteer.
He organized a meeting for our family and it was love at first sight. We fell in love with not only the project, but also with the quality of the people and the enthusiasm of being supportive.
Without hesitation I offered to help. I offered anything I could contribute.
Then at home, our oldest daughter Micaela, seeing us so excited about Helpers, asked us how she could join in collaborating. Helpers invited her to work with the Communication team, and then she was also assigned to manage the company’s Instagram. We are very happy that at 16 years of age, she has committed to volunteering in this way.
Wee are proud as a family to have solidarity as a value at our core. Helpers has a beautiful goal, which is to ensure that we are all trained to be able to help others. At the same time, I discovered that helping organize the foundation and being in charge of humanitarian assistance, makes me feel happy.
I feel useful. I am motivated every day to continue helping, and I am excited to accompany my team of leaders to assist to all volunteers who can help anyone who seeks help.
Ariela Fefer on volunteering
In these difficult times, a love for Helpers was born. Seeing everything the team does to create a more collaborative community with others, from emotional assistance to humanitarian assistance to CPR and first aid training, Helpers does it all.
Everything with this organization is done with love. Bringing my family together with Helpers fills my heart.
