Yeshivacation Learning Seminars Inspire Young Adults Across Three Countries
In the beginning of the month Yahad, FJC’s special programs platform, conducted two unique seminars for young Jewish people that opened to them the world of Jewish learning like they’ve never seen before. The seminars, named “Yeshivacations” from the words “yeshiva” and “vacation”, invited young adults aged 18-30 to spend a week immersed in their […]
Kosher Food – a Growing Trend in the FSU
‘Kosher food’ was among the most popular product booths at the annual food & beverages expo in Moscow, Russia in early February. Called “ProdExpo”, the exposition is the largest industry event in Eastern Europe and sets the trends in the market for the upcoming year. The Kashrut department of Russian rabbinate participated in the expo […]
East Ukraine Jewish Community Faces Daily Artillery ‘Orchestra’ Once Again
‘Nobody here wants this war’: Life goes on in Mariupol, despite daily missile barrages By Dovid Margolin | Chabad.org They hear Grad missiles when they walk to synagogue on Shabbat, at a Torah class, during a youth club meeting. At night, when they put their children to bed, tucking them in and saying everything will be […]
‘Baltic Pearl’ Seminar & Petersburg Evening Re-Energize Women
Jewish women throughout the FSU gathered last week for events that combined learning, relaxing and celebrating. In Riga, over a hundred women from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia came together for an inspiring seminar that connected the participants from the three countries. Called the “Baltic Pearl”, the seminar was the first in the countries’ recent Jewish […]
Baltic Death March Victims Remembered in Kaliningrad
A solemn ceremony was conducted in Kaliningrad, Russia last week, commemorating the thousands of Jewish victims of the Baltic “Death march” and its aftermath in 1945. Hundreds of ceremony participants, among them regional officials, diplomats, religious and community organizations, walked 12 kilometers along the path from Kaliningrad (former Koenigsberg) to a village on the shore […]
Zoom Seminars Create Jewish Self-Awareness Throughout Russia
An exciting series of personal development seminars are taking place throughout Russia this month, designed to provide young Jewish adults with the opportunity to take a deeper look at themselves and the world around. There are seven seminars, called Zoom, one for each geographical region of the country. The series is organized by Yahad, FJC’s […]
Teenagers in Central Russia Unite for EnerJew Seminar
Dozens of Jewish teenagers gathered in Volgograd, Russia last weekend for a local EnerJew youth movement seminar. The seminar was the first combined event for youth from Volgograd and Saratov, as both of these cities only joined the movement in the fall. “We really did not feel as we only just met this weekend, it […]
High-ranking Officials Visit Petersburg Synagogue for Memorial Ceremony
The Federation Council Chairman of Russia, Valentina Matviyenko and other high-ranking government officials visited FJC’s Petersburg Jewish community at the city’s Grand Choral synagogue at the end of January. The visit marked the double date of the International Holocaust Remembrance day and the day of the Petersburg Blockade lifting in WWII. The officials participated in […]
Oryol Jewish Community Celebrates New Torah Scroll
FJC’s Jewish community in Oryol, Russia celebrated the inauguration of a new Torah scroll last week – the first one for Oryol’s recently reclaimed synagogue. The ceremony was attended by the chief rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar along with numerous city and region administration officials, community members and guests from neighboring regions. The transfer of […]
Jewish Irkutsk Publishes Original Kosher Cookbook
An unusual party favor was in store for those who attended the recent Bar Mitzvah of the Wagner family in snowy Irkutsk, Russia – a colorful cookbook in Russian with kosher recipes, the “Kosher Cook. There aren’t many Russian kosher cooking albums, and what made this one even more unique is that almost all the […]