Last Bell Celebrated Across Jewish FSU as 2026 Academic Year Comes to a Close
Thousands of Jewish students studying in the Federation of Jewish Communities’ ‘Or Avner’ Jewish Educational Network celebrated the conclusion of the 2026 academic year with festive “Last Bell” ceremonies held across more than ten countries of the former Soviet Union. The traditional events, held during the end of May and throughout June, marked both a […]
Extraordinary Kosher Fest Brings Kashrut Learning to Life
Moscow Jewish University’s ‘Machon Chamesh’ institution for young women, directed by Rabbi Avraham and Frumi Bekerman, recently hosted an interactive educational program that introduced students to the laws and meaning of kashrut through hands-on workshops, demonstrations, discussions, and creative activities. The Kosher Fest festival was organized as a series of themed stations, each focusing on […]
Summer Vibes: Young Rabbis Bring Jewish Life to Over 100 Communities Across Russia and Belarus
For the third consecutive year, dozens of young yeshiva students from the Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva in Istra, near Moscow, headed by Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Lerman and Director Rabbi Moshe Weber, have embarked on a unique summer mission to more than 100 cities, towns, and regions across Russia and Belarus. The 86 yeshiva students, many […]
EnerJew’s Largest Shabbaton Concludes 2026 Year of Activity
EnerJew concluded its 2026 year of activity with its largest Shabbaton of the year, bringing together 170 Jewish teenagers and staff members from 16 cities across Russia that had not yet participated in a Shabbaton this year. Held at the Gan Israel Istra campus outside Moscow, the four-day seminar offered participants a meaningful program of […]
110 Jewish Ukrainian Teens Celebrate Bar and Bat Mitzvah Milestone at EnerJew Retreat
Bar and Bat Mitzvah boys and girls from across Ukraine gathered for a moving four-day retreat in the Carpathian Mountains, marking the conclusion of a special year-long preparation program organized by EnerJew, the FJC’s Jewish youth movement in the FSU. The seminar, held at the Belle-Royal Hotel in a peaceful mountain setting, brought together 110 […]
Hundreds of Rabbis and from Russia and Neighboring FSU Countries Gather for Historical Regional Conference in Petersburg
Over 200 community rabbis and Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries from across Russia and neighboring FSU countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia, gathered in Petersburg, Russia – under the auspices of the Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC) – for a special regional rabbinical conference dedicated to strengthening Jewish life, education, and communal leadership throughout the region. […]
GotovMatch: A New Vision for Jewish Matchmaking in the Digital Age
A new initiative designed to help Russian-speaking Jewish young adults, primarily in Russia and across the former Soviet Union, build meaningful, respectful, and lasting relationships has been recently launched by the GoTov digital platform operating under the Federation of Jewish Communities, bringing modern tools into the service of Jewish connection and participation. GotovMatch was born […]
How the Rainbow Got Its Stripes; First Illustrated Book for Noahide Children Published in Russian
The first illustrated Russian-language book for Noahide children, How the Rainbow Got Its Stripes: The Tale of the Seven Noahide Laws, has been published in Russia, offering young readers and their families a clear and engaging introduction to the Seven Noahide Laws. Written by Rabbi Leibl Estrin and illustrated by Kevin J. Marinelli, the 32-page […]
New Torah Scroll Welcomed into Mykolaiv Synagogue Ahead of Shavuot
The Jewish community of Mykolaiv, Ukraine led by Rabbi Sholom and Rebbetzin Dina Gotlieb, celebrated the dedication of a new and beautifully written Torah scroll to the city’s central synagogue ahead of Shavuot, the festival marking the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Hundreds of community members, guests, local dignitaries, and students from the […]
Or Avner Jewish Education Network Directors Gather for Professional Seminar in Dnipro
Dozens of directors from FJC’s ‘Or Avner’ Jewish education network in Ukraine gathered recently in Dnipro for a three-day professional seminar focused on strengthening Jewish education, sharing best practices, and discussing the future of schools across the country. The seminar, held at the Menorah Jewish Community Center with the support and guidance of Dnipro Chief […]