Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau Visited the Jewish Community of Moscow, paying tribute on the Jewish date of Victory when many of Europe’s Jews were Liberated.

Chief Rabbi Lau arrived for a quick visit of 24 hours to Russia’s capital city. He participated in a series of events that marked the Jewish date of rescue and liberation for many of Europe’s Jews after World War II. The events, which strengthened the local community, were initiated by philanthropist Mr. German Zechariev.

Upon landing, the esteemed guest arrived at the “Shaarey Tzedek Center of Chesed” in the Marina Roscha neighborhood. He was met by the Center’s founder, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, who gave him a tour of the impressive building which assists thousands of Moscow’s indigent Jews.

The next day, Rabbi Lau came to the Marina Roscha Central Synagogue, where he put Tefillin on two Bar Mitzvah boys from the neighboring ‘Mesivta’ Jewish school and gave two Torah classes to the public.

From there he continued, accompanied by Rabbi Lazar to the large new “Jewish Russian Language Library” which was just opened this week, where he was honored with affixing the mezuzah on its main door. Rabbi Lau received detailed explanations from the Library’s director Rabbi Boruch Gorin,  about the hundreds of books that were translated into the Russian language to help quench the great thirst of Russia’s Jews.

Photography: Levi Nazarov