Continuing a Tradition of Achievement: Four Men Complete Tractate Megillah in Kyiv
In a heartening moment for Jewish life in Ukraine, four members of the Kedem community in Kyiv recently completed the study of Tractate Megillah, marking a significant educational achievement amid ongoing challenges in the region. Yosef Kashurin and Izik Sheslivtzer joined Chaim Buriak and Shlomo Bublyniuk—who previously completed Tractate Makkot—in concluding the entire Talmudic tractate […]
Ukraine: Towards the New School Year — Thousands of Needy Jewish Children Receive New School Backpacks
As the new academic year approaches, JRNU (Jewish Relief Network Ukraine) and LifeChanger UA have once again joined forces under the “Together to School” initiative to deliver new school backpacks to thousands of Jewish children in need across Ukraine. The principal beneficiaries are first-graders, although some older students facing urgent needs also received backpacks. This […]
Sweet as Honey: Jewish Ukraine Prepares for Rosh Hashanah
As the High Holidays approach, Jewish communities across Ukraine are preparing for a fourth Rosh Hashanah under the shadow of the ongoing crisis. Despite the challenges, much of the holiday provisioning is taking place within Ukraine itself, through specially designated facilities operating under the supervision of Ukraine’s Kashrut Committee, led by Rabbi Pinchas Vishedski. In […]
Ukraine-Israel: An Unprecedented Summer at Camp Yeka 2025
Summer 2025 was truly unprecedented for Camp Yeka, with two transformative sessions, one in Ukraine and one in Israel, each leaving a lifelong impact on the children who attended. The Israel session came in direct response to heartfelt requests from Ukrainian Jewish children who, since the start of the crisis, have resettled in Israel. For […]
Six Jewish boys circumcised at summer camp in Ukraine in rare community event
In crisis-hit city of Zhytomyr, local Jewish boys undergo ritual circumcision at Chabad-run summer camp; community leaders call joint ceremony unprecedented and powerful sign of resilience and renewed connection to Jewish identity By Itamar Eichner, YnetNews In a rare communal event in the western Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr, six Jewish boys underwent circumcision one after […]
Distant Utopia: Birobidjan – 1 Of 8 Most Remote Chabad Houses on Earth
Chabad.org’s Menachem Posner chose the ‘ Most Remote Chabad Houses on Earth- here is ours… When compiling a list of “remote” Chabad Houses, the first challenge is trying to determine what makes one Chabad House more remote than another. After all, everything is close to something, and sometimes physical remoteness may be less important than […]
Thirty-Fifth Chabad House and JCC Opens in Moscow
Another Chabad House and JCC has opened in Moscow, in the “ZiL” neighborhood along the Mark Chagall Promenade in the southern part of the city, joining the 34 Chabad Houses and community centers already active in the Russian capital. “ZiL” is an acronym in Russian for Zavod Imeni Likhachyova (“Factory named after Likhachyov”), the director […]
Second Arson Attempt Targets Obninsk Synagogue
In the night between August 12 and 13, 2025, unknown perpetrators attempted to set fire to the synagogue in Obninsk, Kaluga Region. According to available reports, at least three bottles containing incendiary mixture were thrown at the building, damaging its entrance. This is not the first attack on the synagogue. On July 10, 2024, unidentified […]
SmartJ Brings Together Project Teams from Across the Former Soviet Union
In July, the SmartJ project held two major seminars designed to train, inspire, and connect its active teams across the countries of the Former Soviet Union. Organized by the project’s central headquarters, the seminars took place in Moscow and Chișinău, bringing together around 140 participants—both experienced members and newcomers. The first seminar, in Moscow, hosted […]
YAHAD Unveils Unexpected Destination for Annual Student Trip
Thousands of Jewish students and young professionals across Russia and the FSU were surprised and delighted by YAHAD’s announcement of an exciting new destination for its much-anticipated annual journey. The program, now a cherished tradition, attracts hundreds of new participants each year who complete a dynamic and inspiring course of Jewish studies. This year, the […]