Bringing Smiles and Comfort to Holocaust Survivors

The Café Europa program provides a social and cultural get-together for Holocaust Survivors, which includes lunch and entertainment with live music. The Bernard Betel Centre hosts this program in partnership with Jewish Family and Child Service. It began in 2002 as a once a month program with 40 participants. Today, two gatherings per month are offered to accommodate the over 300 attendees who are invited to take part in this special program.

Volunteers have played a key role in the success and expansion of the program. Initially, the volunteers arrived early to set up the room, served the meal and stayed after the program to clean up. The role has changed over the years and volunteers are more directly engaged with the participants.

Now, our team of Café Europa volunteers are stationed at the door when the participants arrive to greet and direct them to the ticket desks where other volunteers give them their tickets for the next session. Volunteers then assist them in finding a seat with others who speak their language or might be from the same town. This creates a comfortable and warm environment where everyone feels welcome and engaged.

Some of the original group continue to attend and new participants hearing about the program are welcome to join. The staff and volunteers actively engage with the Survivors as they enjoy a lunch and a musical performance from a variety of cultures including Hebrew, Yiddish, and Klezmer, Hungarian, Russian, Classical and more. Everyone enjoys a meal together, many singing and dancing to familiar tunes.

Thanks to our Café Europa volunteer team for bringing friendship, laughter and music into the lives of Holocaust Survivors!