Netanyahu Visits Ukraine; Mariyinsky Palace Koshered
For a single day, Ukraine’s Presidential residence was koshered for the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch delivered a prayer. By COLlive reporter Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently on an official visit to Kiev, the first state visit of a foreign leader to Ukraine since the election of President Vladimir Zelensky, who is Jewish. The […]
77th memorial to second largest mass murder of Jews from the FSU
On Sunday, August 11, was the 77th anniversary of the second largest mass execution of Jews in the FSU by the Nazi invaders. The largest mass murder took place in Baby Yar. On August 11-13, 1942, the Nazi’s murdered more than 27,000 men, women, and children from Rostov-on-Don. The Nazi’s marched the Soviet and Jewish […]
Girl’s Camp Dream Comes True
As a camper, Liora’s dream was to return to Camp Gan Israel of Rostov, Russia, as a counselor. This year, that dream was fulfilled – and she was thrilled when she found out who the activities director was. Some kids just live for camp. All year long they talk about it, they relive it, and they […]
Krasnaya Sloboda: First Kosher restaurant opens in historic village
The idea of a Jewish shtetl or village was all but destroyed during the holocaust and the rise of soviet communism. However, in a mountainous region in Azerbaijan, there is a small unique and intriguing Jewish settlement remaining. A place that remains untouched by the world around it. It is called Qırmızı Qəsəbə and it […]
The Rambam’s 14 holy books have been translated into Russian
Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, happily announced that the Yad HaChazakah, the 14 books written by the Rambam, have all been translated into Russian. The books of the Rambam have become increasingly popular over the past few years due to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s encouragement of Jews worldwide to study the texts. The Rambam’s […]
Synagogue walls restored and turned into a museum commemorating the town’s Jewish history
The walls that remained from the synagogue that once stood in Bobruisk, Belarus had stood forlorn, no longer able to contain the beating heart of the once bustling Jewish shtetl. No longer did the butcher, shoemaker and tailor of Bobruisk hurry in at the crack of dawn to pray and catch up before a busy […]
Chernivtsi: Memorial monument placed on mass grave of pogrom victims
The Jews living in Sadhora [Sadigura], a small shtetl in Ukraine knew no reprieve when the Russians were victorious over the German army. The Red Army, who had just returned home after their victory over the Wehrmacht in 1941, still had the fire of war and destruction burning in their hearts. Government officials, who understood […]
Memorial Monument is being Erected in Destroyed Jewish Cemetery
The city of Irkutsk, which is located in Eastern Siberia, is steeped in Jewish history. In the 18th century, a Jewish cemetery called ‘the Mountain of Jerusalem’ was opened near the Catholic and Lutheran cemeteries. Over the next century, more than 120,000 Jews were buried there until its closing at the end of the 19th […]
EnerJew Runs Two Summer Camps: ‘a Smashing Sucess”
Over 260 teenagers from across the FSU came together for ten days of an unforgettable summer vacation at EnerJew camp sessions in Russia and Ukraine, which finished yesterday. The sessions – one for girls in Ukraine and one for boys in Russia – took place at seaside locations, providing participants with a much-needed boost of […]
Summer 2019: New Building Dedicated at Moscow’s ‘Gan Israel’ Camp
In a small yet impressive event, a newly renovated building was dedicated in Camp Gan Israel of Moscow’s Istra region. Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar was honored with affixing the mezuzah to the main shul’s entrance. Throughout the year, the property is home to Moscow’s Yeshiva. During the summer months, the yeshiva students and staff […]