Paul Matasovski has only known Jonathan Reuben for seven months, but you’d never guess that watching the two men chat over coffee in West Hartford Center one recent morning.  Reuben, 57, listens intently, obviously enjoying the story Matasovski, 89, is telling. Matasovski reaches out and gently presses Reuben’s arm like an old friend when he wants to emphasize a point.

(l to r) Geoff Weiner, John Reuben, Paul Matasovski of West Hartford and
Alice Sidenberg of the Farmington Valley at the JFS volunteer reception.
Weiner, Reuben and Sidenberg are JFS volunteers. Matasovski is a client.

Reuben, who has been a volunteer with Jewish Family Services’ (JFS) Friendly Visitor Program since September, meets at least once a week with Matasovski, a Holocaust survivor and a JFS client. Their obvious chemistry is a tribute to the care taken by JFS Volunteer Coordinator Sherry Waitsman, who made the match. Both men are engineers and both are of Eastern European extraction – Matasovski emigrated from Rumania in 1972; and Reuben’s family emigrated from Moldavia or Moldova, as it is now known.

Matasovski, who speaks six languages and earned his civil engineering degree in the Soviet Union, fought the Nazis as a member of the underground resistance in Rumania, before being sent to a Nazi work camp.  After arriving in the U.S., he worked as a draftsman until his English improved enough to be considered for a civil engineering job.

On April 24, the men spoke about their relationship and what it has meant to them at a reception honoring the approximately 80 JFS volunteers, including Reuben. The event was held at the newly-opened TD Bank branch at West Hartford’s Bishop’s Corner. TD Bank is the newest JFS Business Partner.

“He makes me laugh,” says Reuben, a structural engineer at Pratt & Whitney who learned of the JFS volunteer opportunity through the United Way.

“He makes me feel happy,” adds Matasovski.

Reuben says he gets as much back from his relationship with Matasovski than he gives. If not more. He recently published a book about his own life, and is now helping Matasovski write a book about his.

“I wish everyone would have the opportunity to work with someone like Paul,” said Rueben. “It is so interesting to talk to someone of such experience; to know the history he has lived.”

For information on becoming a JFS volunteer call Sherry Waitsman (860) 236-1927 x. 7080 or email swaitsman@jfshartford.org.