How ordinary people build extraordinary legacies through volunteering

I’ve always loved history.

For me, it’s not about dates or battles, it’s about people – their choices, their struggles and how their decisions shaped the world in which we live.

That interest also informed my career choices.

Before my role at JVN, I spent much of my career as a volunteer manager, mainly working with Holocaust survivors, initially at the Shoah Foundation, the Museum of Tolerance in LA and Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre. The people I met taught me more about resilience, courage and the value of community than any textbook ever could.

But it was a visit to Baycrest in Toronto, that solidified for me the power of volunteering. Baycrest is now an academic health sciences centre offering care for older adults, from independent and assisted living to hospital care. It is very impressive.

However, the first thing you see when you go through the front door is a regularly updated exhibition space, sharing stories about its founders, pioneering doctors and landmark moments. The message is clear: Baycrest is not here by accident; it is here because in 1918, the Ezras Noahem Society (a mutual aid society for Jewish women), recognising a need, created and then volunteered at the Toronto Jewish Olds Folks Home. I am sure it has far surpassed their expectations, but it began with a need filled by ordinary people.

That story plays out across the UK Jewish community too. Charity and volunteering are central to Judaism, rooted in the concept of tzedakah, justice and giving. A recent survey found that 47 per cent of British Jews volunteer at least once a year, compared to 33.5 per cent of the general population.

And this commitment shows up in our infrastructure. In the UK overall, there is one registered charity for every 376 people. In the Jewish community, it is one for every 120 people. Whilst some may suggest that this is possibly too many, it highlights how deeply embedded helping is in our communal life.

Many of JVN’s charity partners were started by people who saw a gap and stepped up, giving rise to charities like Chai Cancer Care, Langdon (now Kisharon Langdon), Migdal Emunah (now JSAS) and Kef Kids. Others, such as Goods for Good and Give. Help. Share. were founded by Jewish individuals and serve wider society. What they all have in common is the team of volunteers, supporting the staff team in making sure support reaches those who need it.

The good news? You don’t have to start a charity to make a difference. Most of us can’t and that’s okay. However, we can volunteer. And in our community, we do.

Whether it’s packing food parcels, supporting a school, mentoring someone or reaching out to alleviate loneliness – some people even get their pets involved – every act of volunteering quietly shapes the kind of society in which we want to live.

That’s why JVN exists. Eighteen years ago, we were created, thanks to Judy Citron z”l, who wanted to respond to all the people who called the Board of Deputies central helpdesk asking: “I want to help, but I don’t know where to start.” Along with Susan Winton and Leonie Lewis, they created the Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN). Since then, we have helped thousands of individuals find meaningful roles and supported hundreds of charities to grow and deliver vital services.

When we volunteer, we become part of a larger story, the same one that built Baycrest, Chai, Langdon and so many others. We uphold a Jewish tradition rooted in empathy, action and responsibility.

Rabbi Sacks used to say: “Volunteering isn’t always glamorous”, but it is an easy way of saying: “I made a difference.” Because, in a world that can feel overwhelming, volunteering gives us a way to respond. It is how we connect. It is how we contribute. And it is how we help shape a Jewish community, now and for generations to come.

​Rachelle Lazarus is head of community engagement at the Jewish Volunteering Network