Dnipro: Grand Reopening of Boys’ Orphanage in Historic Synagogue
Amidst much fanfare, The Jewish community of Dnipro gathered together to celebrate the reopening of its lifesaving boys’ Children’s home and Orphanage. The orphanage is located inside the historic synagogue building of the famous Kabbalist Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson OBM. In 1939 the synagogue was confiscated from the Jewish community and turned into apartments and […]
Historic Synagogue Rises Once Again, Eighty Years After Destruction
Synagogue opens on eightieth anniversary of its destruction by Ashira Weiss – Kaliningrad, Russia | Lubavitch.com NOVEMBER 8, 2018 Destroyed by the Nazis, one of Europe’s most impressive Jewish monuments, the New Synagogue of Konigsberg, has now been restored to its former glory. Government officials, diplomats from Germany and Israel and members of the Federation of Jewish […]
Russia’s chief rabbi notes favorable inter-religious situation in Russia
KALININGRAD, November 8. /TASS/. Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar has described the interethnic and interreligious situation in the country as favorable, stressing that Jews in Russia fell comfortable and confident. He was speaking at the opening ceremony at a synagogue in Russia’s western exclave of Kaliningrad. “No one builds a synagogue, if one is […]
Russia’s westernmost synagogue rebuilt 80 years after Kristallnacht destruction
Extracts from article and photos by Cnaan Liphshiz | JTA KALININGRAD, Russia (JTA) — Walking to school and back, Michael Wieck twice a day would pass by one of Europe’s largest and most spectacular Jewish places of worship: Koenigsberg’s New Synagogue. The mammoth shul was built in 1896 in the Aesopian style in the bustling port city […]
History in Birobidzhan: First Mikvah in Jewish Autonomous
After 15 years of anticipation, finally, the concrete was cast for the first Mikvah ever in the Jewish Autonomous Region of Russia On Wednesday, 31 October, the concrete was cast for the first mikvah ever to be built in the Jewish Autonomous Region of Russia – a region appropriated to Jews by Stalin. The Mikvah […]
Moscow Opens a ‘Lending Depot’
The new ‘Ohel Chesed’ and Esther’s Cafe in Moscow might be the world’s most interesting “Gemach” – lending organization. A number of moving events took place at the Shaarey Tzedek Chesed Center located in the heart of the Marina Roscha neighborhood of Moscow. Under the auspices of Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, the Center serves […]
FJC Communities Mourn in Solidarity with US Jewry in Light of Pittsburgh Attack
The Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS (FJC) expressed its grief and solidarity with the Jews of the United States in the light of the deadly anti-semitic attack in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Chief rabbis and community leaders of FJC’s member-countries issued statements of mourning and support on Sunday, the day after the tragedy. “Our hearts today […]
Jewish Irkutsk Celebrates 200 Years of Rich Community History
The Jewish community of Irkutsk celebrated its 200th anniversary earlier this week. Over 600 people attended the celebration events, which were symbolically divided into ‘the Past’, ‘the Present’, and ‘the Future’ categories and took place over two days. Located deep in Siberia, Irkutsk has a rich Jewish history dating back to the 18th century: some […]
Russia: Petersburg Synagogue Hosts Music Festival
The Grand Choral synagogue in Petersburg, Russia hosted hundreds of visitors last week for a Jewish klezmer concert, part of an ethnic music festival organized by the city council. Local Shpil Klezmer Band ensemble performed an instrumental arrangement of Jewish holidays’ prayer melodies and the uplifting tunes of the Jewish wedding for city residents, while […]
Belarus Commemorates Minsk Ghetto Liquidation
FJC community leaders and members participated in the official memorial ceremonies in Minsk, Belarus this Monday that marked the 75th anniversary off the liquidation of Minsk ghetto in WWII. The commemorations, organized by the Belarus government together with Jewish organizations will span three days and include concerts, conferences, documentary screenings and more. The memorial ceremony […]