“There Are Bombings Every Day, We’ll Light Candles Next to the Shelter”: Ukrainian Jews Prepare for Chanukah
As Ukraine prepares to mark its third Chanukah since the outbreak of the crisis, thousands of menorahs will be distributed to Jewish families across the country. Along with the menorahs, humanitarian aid packages will be delivered to families, and special Chanukah games will be provided for children. Giant menorahs will be placed in city centers […]
Breaking Barriers: 100 Tefillin and 2,000 Mezuzot Distributed Across Russian Jewish Communities
In a significant outreach effort, the Jewish community in Russia is witnessing a remarkable initiative by the 770 Fund, an organization dedicated to supporting rabbis and Chabad emissaries throughout the country. The project aims to strengthen Jewish identity and religious practice by providing essential ritual items to Jewish communities across Russia. The ambitious project involves […]
Bridging Faiths and Traditions: Birobidzhan’s Interfaith Family Forum Highlights Jewish Values
As part of the Interfaith Family Forum recently held in Birobidzhan, initiated by the local government of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in Russia’s Far East, the Jewish community, led by the city’s rabbi and Chabad emissary, Rabbi Efraim Kolpak, was selected to deliver several important lectures on family values from a Jewish perspective. The first […]
Historic FJC Forum 2024 Held in Jerusalem
Hundreds of directors, activists, and key figures from the diverse projects and organizations of the Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC), operating across the former Soviet Union, convened at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel, for a historic conference. The gathering aimed to strengthen, develop, expand, and enhance the extensive activities serving hundreds of thousands […]
Tatarstan: New Rabbi Appointed to Lead the Growing Jewish Community in Naberezhnye Chelny
In response to the growing Jewish community in Naberezhnye Chelny, a vibrant industrial city located two and a half hours from Kazan, Rabbi Chaim David Paer and his wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Tzippora, have been appointed to lead the city’s Jewish community as Chabad emissaries. Naberezhnye Chelny, the second-largest city in the Republic of Tatarstan, lies […]
Professionalism and Soul: YAHAD Leadership School Convened in Novyi Bereg
Nearly fifty young Jewish leaders, including students and young professionals from various cities across Russia and the former Soviet Union, gathered in November 2024 for an intensive five-day seminar. The event aimed to empower participants on their journey to becoming leaders within their communities and coordinators in diverse educational programs led by YAHAD, a division […]
Restoring Vision for Ukraine: A Partnership of Hope
In a transformative initiative, over 274,000 Ukrainians have received eyeglasses over the past two years, thanks to a collaborative effort between JRNU – the Federation of Jewish Communities and Chabad’s humanitarian arm in Ukraine – 27 partner organizations, and RestoringVision. This life-changing program has reached individuals across Ukraine, including those in cities near the front […]
Samara: Synagogue Seized by Soviets 100 Years Ago Under Renovation
Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar and philanthropist Michael Lesinski visited Samara to inspect renovations to the Great Synagogue, which the Soviets seized 101 years ago. The Great Synagogue of Samara in southwestern Russia was originally constructed in 1908 (5668), with seating for some 1,000 congregants. The three-story building, adorned with distinctively Jewish architectural elements, was a beacon of […]
Renovations Underway at Historic Synagogue in Kislovodsk, Russia
Aimed at accommodating the local Jewish community and the many tourists who visit the region’s mineral waters and unique climate, the renovations at the historic synagogue in Kislovodsk, Russia, are now in full swing. The city, located in the Caucasus Mountains, is known as Russia’s “Sun City,” with clear and mild weather for most of […]
Siberia: A New Torah Scroll Brings Special Joy to the Krasnoyarsk Jewish Community
Hundreds of Jewish community members – led by Rabbi Benjamin Wagner and his wife, Rebbetzin Dina – gathered in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, alongside distinguished guests from neighboring cities and Israel, to celebrate the inauguration of a new Torah scroll. The scroll, generously donated by Mr. Yochanan Yanukovych, a friend and supporter of the […]