Amos Avgar was delegated by “Joint” to former Soviet Union in 1992 when former socialist countries experienced a real threat of hunger. The first decision was immediate distribution of food packages. The first 20 thousands of food packages were distributed by 14 representatives from Israel.

Exactly at that time it had become obvious that elderly people were in the worst position what led to the idea of establishment a specialized charitable organization based on Jewish community with intensive involvement of volunteers in order to render social assistance to the most needy Jews. Amos Avgar and Moshe Harelem offered to name such organization “hesed”. 

In translation from Hebrew “hesed” means “mercy”.  But “mercy” not in general but in respect of those people who are supported at the moment when misfortune tears their hearts up. Moreover, the meaning of the word “hesed” in Hebrew includes also the hope for help not only in the present but in the future as well…   

The first hesed in former socialist countries was established in Saint-Petersburg. The second one appeared in Minsk which was a start for the whole network of heseds in Byelorussia . “Hesed-Avot” in Kiev was opened in 1996. Today it is one of the biggest hesed in FSC and can boast of 16 different programs and 12 thousands of clients.  

The model of hesed is a conception of communal work in the field of social security. Overcoming of distinctions between existing and desired position in the social field of Jewish communities determines its main task.

Increase of life quantity of Jews in physical, material, psychological and social respect makes up the main purpose of hesed.
Hesed is a charitable organization with three main constituents: volunteer activity, communal activity and Yiddishkeit and which works to the benefit of the whole Jewish community and is its integral part.   

Charitable activity goes back deep to the centuries, historical tradition of Jewish people, consecrated by religion, realizes its main principal “ To save a man means to save a world”.

Brief Jewish encyclopedia defines charity as a demonstration of sympathy with your neighbor by means of material or moral support and is an obligatory directions of Judaism.